Heat lamp

[nfire614]

I am getting 10 new chicks tom and am curious why my heat lamp is not bringing my brooder up to temp it's pretty close any ideas from some more expierienced chicken friends ?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

You really don't want the whole brooder to be the same temperature. The lamp is only supposed to make a warm spot and the rest should be cool.
A broody doesn't make all the ambient temperature warm.
The chicks need to be able to choose their comfort zone.

 

[nfire614]

I have it one corner but the temp in te corner is only 88 degrees is that ok

 

[ChickenCanoe]

88 is fine. I try for one spot around 90. Best to use the chicks actions as the judge. If they crowd the light, they're too cold, if they are scattered around the brooder it's just right, if they stay far from the light they're too hot. I hang the light or heat emitter pointing straight down and raise or lower it based on the chicks activity.
They'll always crowd under it at night just like they crowd under a broody at night but roam cool space during the day.

 

[nfire614]

help one if the chicks we got is not doing very well do we let it go or do we try something else ?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Make sure you dip it's beak in water so that it drinks. A little sugar in the water for energy. Make sure it isn't too hot.
Another option is poly-vi-sol without iron. Just a drop in the beak.