Help maintaining brooder temperature

[OlivesMama]

Hi All,

I have 4 chicks and a Silkie pullet out in my garage. My current setup: 2 large plastic bins hooked together with a pass-through in the middle. Food and water is on one side and a small floodlight and light bulb screwed to the lid that I keep on, and the other side is open with a red heat lamp on a stand over it that is adjustable. I keep a few bricks and sticks to roost on in the open side so they have plenty of room to move around. They love it and seem very happy, with plenty of space.

I have no trouble maintaining 90 on the covered side (where the thermometer is) with the floodlight/light bulb I check it numerous times a day and adjust, unscrewing the small light bulb if it gets too hot, and turning it back on at night if needed. I slide the red heat lamp up or down on the pole as well.

The chicks are 16 days old now and I'm struggling with ideas on how to lower the temp another 5 degrees for the coming week. I successfully went from 95 to 90, but I don't know how to achieve another 5 degree drop. Will they be okay if I turn the lamp off on the covered side, as long as they have a heat lamp available on the open side? The covered side probably won't get cold, since heat can still enter through the cut out in the middle and get trapped in there. Any ideas?

Thanks,

Olive's Mama

 

[darin367]

don't worry so much about keeping them so warm.... most problems with chicks is because people over heat them...... keep 1 warm spot in the entire brooder.. make sure theres a cooler spot.. those chicks will move into the heat when needed and away from it when warm...... they do not need to stay under heat.... think of it like this,, under mommas wing, it's 95 degrees, well they have to eat, they come out from under momma, go eat, get water etc... then when they start to get cold they run back under mom for a few minutes....... i just hatched some chicks under a broody hen last month... i watched those chicks at 1 week old run around outside in 25 degree temps for 5 minutes at a time, then run under mom n warm up for 5 min. then do it again......... they're growing up fine... as long as 1 spot in your brooder is warm, they will go to it when cold..

 

[amynrichie]

don't worry so much about keeping them so warm.... most problems with chicks is because people over heat them...... keep 1 warm spot in the entire brooder.. make sure theres a cooler spot.. those chicks will move into the heat when needed and away from it when warm...... they do not need to stay under heat.... think of it like this,, under mommas wing, it's 95 degrees, well they have to eat, they come out from under momma, go eat, get water etc... then when they start to get cold they run back under mom for a few minutes....... i just hatched some chicks under a broody hen last month... i watched those chicks at 1 week old run around outside in 25 degree temps for 5 minutes at a time, then run under mom n warm up for 5 min. then do it again......... they're growing up fine... as long as 1 spot in your brooder is warm, they will go to it when cold..

Thanks for this. I have been struggling with the decision to kick my 3 weekers (31 of them) out of the house. Some are almost half feathered, some have almost all of their feathers. I think with my two 250 watt lamps, they will do fine.

 

[OlivesMama]

Thank you so much, Darin367! Very helpful information. My black Silkie, Olive has taken to the chicks so well, they do tuck under her when I take them out of the brooder. Also, I see you're from Shelton! That's my hometown, I lived in WA up until about 2 years ago.