I have 14 bantam chicks that are now 1 month old. I am wondering if it is ok to take the heat lamp away from them? They are inside, in my living room, which stays between 75-80 degrees. They are in a rabbit hutch that has 3 solid sides and a wire front, so no real drafts. Not sure what kind of bantams I have, but this is them today. They are getting close to being fully feathered, except their little heads still have chick fluff. Thanks for looking and for any suggestions
Thanks to you both I went ahead and took it away and haven't heard any loud peeping from them. So I am hoping they will be ok. The hutch really kept the heat in, so I was almost more worried about them being overheated. I will watch for them crowding on top of each other. Hopefully they wont care that its gone.
Yes, you can reduce the temperature at a rate of 5 degrees a day starting at a 100 degree heat level.
Well guess they weren't ready to go without the light. They were all in a pile this morning, smushed together and I lost the only all white one w/ puffy cheeks Why is it always the sweetest chick/chicken thats the one to die, get sick or hurt Needless to say their heat lamp has been returned, even though it said 80 on their thermometer in the brooder this morning.
Sorry you lost one, Sun. Personally, if I had to live in a house that was 75 to 80 degrees, I'd suffocate as well. Hope the rest mature w/no more losses.
Quote:Don't beat yourself up over this. It is likely a coincidence of timing, not something you did. I don't know if it is any comfort to you, but that baby chick is with The Lord... I was out visiting the little gravesite in our backyard yesterday talking to my girls. And I realized that they are not only with The Lord, but my Dad is up there hanging out with them... And there are no better animal lovers than them. I know you will go the extra mile for the rest. I am about to get 5 or 6 bantam blue and black mottled cochins that are pipping (at their surrogate mother's BUZZARD CHICK) as we speak. Best of luck with the rest, Michael and Nan
Thank you. She was the littlest of the group, so I think the others might just have smushed her in the pile. She was on the outside of the ring when I looked, so not sure if she got smothered earlier or was too little to get to the center of the circle to get warmer. Its weird, I would have thought they had enough feathers to stay warm too. I still have 13, a few in the group should be females that I can keep. I would have kept her though, she was a sweetie.
