Heat/Light for the chicks

[Forrest_Flock]

I heard chicks need extra heat while they are young so I got Robin to get me one of those clip-on work lamps from the hardware place today.

The light is very bright white, I am just wondering how the chicks will be able to sleep??
It gives off very good heat though

 

[Fred's Hens]

Since it is blazing hot in most of the country, I assume you have them in Air Conditioning? Otherwise, be very careful. Most of the country is hot enough. No extra heat needed, if any. You can always use a low wattage bulb. More chicks croak from too much heat than not enough.

Also, DO NOT trust that clamp alone. Those things are extreme fire hazards if they fall into the chips/straw.

 

[Forrest_Flock]

Yes, it is pretty hot here but inside the house is very cool, I am going to put them in the spare room where there is only a very small window and little light

How can I tell if they are too hot?

Also is it ok if I hang the lamp from something above the brooder so it won't fall down?

(sorry about all the questions!)

 

[Fred's Hens]

Yes, do tie up the lamp. This will take the clamp out of the equation. Much safer.

Brooders need to be LARGE. By the time the space is taken up with the water fount and feed tray, they need a lot of room to grow. By three weeks, they will be flying, jumping and running full speed. Room, lots of it, is the cure for pecking each other too.

If the chicks are hot, they'll stand with the wings held away from their bodies and they'll be panting with open mouths. They shouldn't be allowed to ever get this warm, as it stressful and some believe it is a contributor to dried, poop butt. (hold the chick's fanny under tepid running water and melt/crush it away).

If they avoid the heat circle and spend most of their time far away from it, the lamp is too hot. Raise it and lower the wattage. In indoors, by week three or four, they won't want any heat, more than likely, as the house is probably 78-80 degrees?

 

[Forrest_Flock]

Yea, our house is about 75 degrees (counts as cool around here!) the lamp can just be used for the first few weeks then. I am sure Robin will be pleased about the smaller power usage

I don't know how many chicks I will be getting, probably a small number as we can't house ten or twenty hens on our plot, I have a kinda large box to use as the brooder, it held a lawn mower once, would that be big enough for them until they move out into the shed? (They can have the shed all to themselves, we don't use it)

 

[Fred's Hens]

Since it is summer, chicks could go out to the shed now, if you could string a power cord out there. In any case, by week 4-5, they'll WANT to go outside and you'll also WANT them go outside. Sounds like that box is OK to get started. See how goes in the days ahead and enjoy your new chicks.

 

[Fred's Hens]

A lot of folks use the red lights., as well. I do.

It seems the softer, red color calms them. Just a suggestion. Bright, white light seems to zoo them up, imho. Again, it wouldn't take much wattage. The typical 250Watt red bulbs are for winter brooding in cold climates. They suck a lot of electricity, are too hot, and are somewhat a fire hazard. If you could find a 75 red bulb, or similar, that would be ideal.

 

[Forrest_Flock]

hmmm, ok, I should've asked this here before we went out to buy the white light

well, it is only for a few weeks, then they can go outside and get natural light in the coop
I can't find an extension cord right now, house is a mess! I will probably stick with keeping them in the spare room for now

 

[Farmershauna96]

Hello i'm a newby. I have got 2 light sussex and 1 Rhode island red (15 weeks), i have one new hampshire red and a buff orpington, both 8 weeks and just three days ago i got 2 light sussex and 2rhode island red chicks. These four babies are being kept inside my house under a infrared heat lamp. It is about 2 and a half feet high , this is what the safety regulations recommended. I'm just wandering if anyone has any advice really because the smallest chcik tends to have its beak open a lot and is a lot smaller than the rest. One on the RIR have very runny watery poop. Is this normal? any advice would be a great help thanks

 

[Chicky Monkey]

This is first year with chickens, too. When mine were babies, I, also, found the red infrared light made them MUCH calmer than the bright white light. Don't know why, so that was all I used.