Heat Lamp or Wool Hen

[K_Elise]

Hello, I am not new to chickens, but I have not had baby chicks in a long time. I am picking up some Mille Fleur D'uccle chicks this weekend, they are true bantams, and I want to have their home setup for them before I pick them up. First off let me say I live in Arizona and the chicks will be inside in my spare bedroom. I keep the house at 80° during the day and 76° at night. Can I get away with providing them a wool hen so they can get warm when they need to? I don't really want to have a heat lamp on 24/7 especially since its not that cold here in AZ. Outside temp right now is 115° during the day and 85° at night. What are your opinions? Also, what is the best way to make a wool hen? What about giving them a stuffed animal?
Also, do I need to provide grit? And what do you use for bedding?
Thank you! I am so excited to be raising chickens again, this time with my Daughter.

 

[sourland]

How old are the chicks ? Newly hatched chicks will require supplemental heat.

 

[K_Elise]

How old are the chicks ? Newly hatched chicks will require supplemental heat.

They will be a 6 days old when I pick them up. They hatched on Monday.

 

[Pork Pie]

I’m sure Sourland will respond soon. If i may be so bold to share my experience in the meantime, my chicks are fine with no supplemental heat at that age with night temps of around 70.

 

[Shorty22366]

I put my 2 week old out in the coop in a small pen to keep them away from big babies. I didn't give them supplemental heat. I did give them a shelter to get under for safety. They are all doing great.

 

[K_Elise]

Thank you for the responses so far. I am leaning more towards not using a heat lamp and seeing how they do. I read that chicks need there brooder to be in the 90's. My thought is, with them being kept inside and the coldest it gets inside is 76° providing them with an area, wool hen, to stay warm at night should be good. I don't want them to get too hot during the day and I think a heat lamp would make there brooder over 100° since the inside temp is 80 during the day. Don't want to put them outside yet since it is 115° during the day.

 

[blackdog043]

Instead of a heat lamp just use a 100 watt incandescent light bulb, along with the wool hen. If they don't seem to be using the light bulb for heat, just leave the wool hen in the brooder. They will let you know if they need heat, by there chirping.

 

[K_Elise]

Instead of a heat lamp just use a 100 watt incandescent light bulb, along with the wool hen. If they don't seem to be using the light bulb for heat, just leave the wool hen in the brooder. They will let you know if they need heat, by there chirping.

Thank you for this idea, it's a good one. Let them decided. The 100 watt bulb sounds better to me since it produces less heat.

 

[New2Chicks97]

We had ours in the house so I got an Ecoglow Radiant heat brooder thing. They liked it well enough and popped in and out as needed. I liked that it didn’t get too hot or pose a fire danger.

 

[Theladiesandagentleman]

I used the radiant heat pad for only a week or so. That way it was dark at night and they could come and go under it as they pleased. I am not a fan of heat lamps due to constant light stressing them, chicks can easily overheat, and the risk of fire.