I just got my chicks on Thursday and we are keeping them in a brooder my husband built into the enclosed porch area (we have a cat and dog in the house who would like very much to get to them, so we keep them out there). Today it is about 88 degrees outside, and the thermometer under the heatlamp was reading 110 this morning so I moved the lamp up. The chicks are staying as far away from the heatlamp as possible. On the side they are staying on, it is about 95. Just the temp out in the enclosed porch gets so hot when it's sunny outside, I'm wondering if at times like that, do I need to have the heatlamp on at all? Is it okay to turn my heatlamp off? Any help would be so appreciated, I don't want to fry the poor things! Thanks!
They probably don't need the heat during the day. Keep monitoring the temps, though. And provide a little "snuggle" area; I usually use a box. If they're chilled, they will be huddled together and then you can turn on the heat. Chicks actually need less heat than we think.
