Heat plate question about large temp drop with frustrating chicks

[amama]

Got 20 chicks yesterday from the farm store in a box brooder in the garage with red-bulb heat lamp going(for now:wanting to use heat plates soon but they were used to the lamp). First of all, these chicks don't seem very smart compared to my past time of brooding. Some will stand directly under the lamp and pant with wings out, so I move them away to get a drink and they go right back under. While a few were standing directly under panting and coming back repeatedly, others were huddled/heaped away from it but only on one side of the brooder. (so not as far away as they could get)
I fiddled with that heat lamp all day yesterday as first they were panting, then when I moved it up a tiny bit they puddled/heaped under it. I don't have a thermometer, but I don't think it would matter as it was 18" to start with and they were way too hot.
I finally have them happier as of last night, but it's 75 for the high today, with a 32 degree low tonight. Do you all move the lamp lower at night or just leave it where it is?

Also, unrelated question; have you ever had feisty chicks that peck anytime you reach in?! I tried a new breed after research (Saphhire Gems, supposed to be docile and friendly), and they are all kind of like that. Jab at me when I'm refreshing water, or feed. They also peck the other breeds if they get near them. I'm hoping it was just that they were in different containers and need to get used to the other chicks? The Buff Orpington chicks are just as sweet as can be.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Having a thermometer is important to set that temp with a heat lamp. I use a cheap one. Get it around 90 directly under it and 70 out around the perimeter of the brooder. Without a thermometer its all guessing which can sometimes work, but it's best to know for sure.

I've had feisty chicks. They tend to stay that way.

 

[amama]

Well, I can't get a thermometer today, so as for people even with thermometers, do you usually end up adjusting your lamps at night for lower temps before going to bed?

 

[NatJ]

do you usually end up adjusting your lamps at night for lower temps before going to bed?

Nope. I have never adjusted a heat lamp back & forth for day/night temperatures.

I try to set the heat lamp so the brooder always has a warm area (sometimes too hot on a hot day) and a cool area (sometimes too cold on a cold night). As long as one area is always warm enough, and another area is always cool enough, I can leave the chicks to move back and forth to find which place is comfortable at a given time. I typically put the heat lamp at a suitable height and leave it alone for quite a few weeks. I do not make it lower at night. I also do not make it higher as the chicks grow older and need less heat-- I just make sure they have lots of space to get away from the heat, and leave them to decide when they need what temperature.

A big brooder solves or avoids many kinds of problems. It lets you have a wide gradient of temperature, with lots of cool space for the chicks to move into, so you don't have to worry as much about getting the temperature exactly right. As long as the chicks can access both cool and warm areas, it does not matter if a small area is too hot or if part of the space is too cold.

I have not had trouble with chicks that stand under the heat lamp and pant like you mentioned, so I'm not sure what I would do there. I would probably make sure they have lots of cool space, move them a few times like you already tried, and after that I might just leave them alone and hope they figure it out well enough for themselves.

 

[amama]

Thanks for the reply! Maybe they are just really dumb chicks. They aren't doing it anymore that I can tell.
I did lower it last night and will leave it alone today as I don't have time for that! I feel like they have plenty of space to spread out, but I am increasing the size and going to add a heat plate on the far other side.

 

[GXPWeasel]

I've never raised or lowered our heat lamp for day or night, or even for temperature swings throughout the week. I leave the lamp about 16'-18" the first week or two, then move it up to about 20"-24" (the highest it can go in my "brooder") after that, until they're ready to be moved. I have a pretty big brooder (extra large wire dog kennel) so there is plenty of room, even with 12 chicks) to move about. This is in a somewhat temperature controlled environment, in that it is in my shop with a furnace, set to 45*F. It can get warmer, but not cooler than that temperature in the building.
As for the chicks being dumb, lol, I can't offer any advice there. Our chicks usually run away from us when we're changing the food and water, until they become adults. Then they "flock" to us, thinking they're getting treats.

 

[NatJ]

I feel like they have plenty of space to spread out, but I am increasing the size and going to add a heat plate on the far other side.

How big is the brooder?

I would probably not add a heat plate, unless you want to transition to that and use it instead of the heat lamp.

One heat lamp should be able to warm plenty of space for 20 chicks. They do not need all the brooder warm, just enough for them to sleep at night and to get warm when they are cold during the day.

For comparison think of how a broody hen raises chicks. She does not warm the air of the pen they are in. They snuggle underneath her to sleep, and to warm up at intervals during the day. The rest of the time they run around eating and drinking and playing, then when they get chilly they come warm up again and maybe have a nap. Chicks with a heat lamp or a heat plate can do the same sort of thing. They use the heat source for sleeping, and to warm up when they get cold, but they can run off to do things in cooler areas in between time spent warming up. But they typically do not need two heat sources, because one warm area is enough, as long as they can all fit in that space at once.