Heat stroke?

[Chickadee305]

I'll second what aart just wrote. Those chicks have got to be cooking in that tote with no way to get any relief. Ideally you should try to find something larger to put the chicks in. That way you can have a warm side and a cooler side and let the chicks decide what they need.

When I used a tote like that for my first chicks I just used a regular 60 watt light bulb. Worked fine.

So I’m new to this and I care for them very much so I appreciate all the tips. I just wanted to update everyone and say I got a much larger enclosure ( twice the size ) and the problems have vanished. Thank you so much!!

 

[wamtazlady]

So I’m new to this and I care for them very much so I appreciate all the tips. I just wanted to update everyone and say I got a much larger enclosure ( twice the size ) and the problems have vanished. Thank you so much!!

That is wonderful!!!

 

[Chickadee305]

Here's my notes on chick heat, hope something in there might help:

They need to be pretty warm(~85-90F on the brooder floor right under the lamp and 10-20 degrees cooler at the other end of brooder) for the first day or two, especially if they have been shipped, until they get to eating, drinking and moving around well. But after that it's best to keep them as cool as possible for optimal feather growth and quicker acclimation to outside temps. A lot of chick illnesses are attributed to too warm of a brooder. I do think it's a good idea to use a thermometer on the floor of the brooder to check the temps, especially when new at brooding, later I still use it but more out of curiosity than need.

The best indicator of heat levels is to watch their behavior:
-If they are huddled/piled up right under the lamp and cheeping very loudly, they are too cold.
-If they are spread out on the absolute edges of the brooder as far from the lamp as possible, panting and/or cheeping very loudly, they are too hot.
-If they sleep around the edge of the lamp calmly just next to each other and spend time running all around the brooder they are juuuust right!

The lamp is best at one end of the brooder with food/water at the other cooler end of the brooder, so they can get away from the heat or be under it as needed. Wattage of 'heat' bulb depends on size of brooder and ambient temperature of room brooder is in. Regular incandescent bulbs can be used, you might not need a 'heat bulb'. If you do use a heat bulb make sure it's specifically for poultry, some heat bulbs for food have teflon coatings that can kill birds. You can get red colored incandescent bulbs at a reptile supply source. A dimmer extension cord is an excellent way to adjust the output of the bulb to change the heat without changing the height of the lamp.

I’ve been following the week by week recommendation of most chicken sites and now my chicks are at the just right temp. But when you say it’s best to keep them cool at what age do you do this?

 

[Mamatomany123]

I’ve been following the week by week recommendation of most chicken sites and now my chicks are at the just right temp. But when you say it’s best to keep them cool at what age do you do this?

Every week you will lower it 5 degrees. Once they start feathering out you can start introducing them to cooler weather. My chicks have been off of heat since about 3 weeks but they were brooded in their coop and feathered pretty quickly. They are 5-6 weeks now and spend all day outside and nighttime in the coop without any heat source.

 

[wamtazlady]

I’ve been following the week by week recommendation of most chicken sites and now my chicks are at the just right temp. But when you say it’s best to keep them cool at what age do you do this?

I think you misunderstood. Even from day one chicks need to be able to decide where they are most comfortable. The warm side of the brooder should be at the suggested temperature for their age. However, they should also have an area away from the heat source where it is 10 to 15 degrees cooler. That way if they get too warm they can cool off. It is more like a mother hen would be for a chick. Chicks do not always stay under the hen to keep warm. They also go out where it is cooler to eat and drink and just run around. However, when they feel chilly they have the warmth of their mother.

 

[aart]

I think you misunderstood. Even from day one chicks need to be able to decide where they are most comfortable. The warm side of the brooder should be at the suggested temperature for their age. However, they should also have an area away from the heat source where it is 10 to 15 degrees cooler. That way if they get too warm they can cool off. It is more like a mother hen would be for a chick. Chicks do not always stay under the hen to keep warm. They also go out where it is cooler to eat and drink and just run around. However, when they feel chilly they have the warmth of their mother.

Yes, this^^^
Best to keep the ambient temps as cool as possible to acclimate them for going outside.
Those week by week numbers are a guideline and not carved in stone...
...learn to watch behaviors so you know when your chicks are comfy or not.