Hot or cold?

[jbuzz323]

Hello all!! I have 2 chicks and 3 ducklings in an old wire rabbit cage. I have the heat lamp on just above the top of the cage. All the little girls are laying on top of each other AWAY from the light. Do you think they are hot? Thanks for the help!

 

[Kaessa]

Hello all!! I have 2 chicks and 3 ducklings in an old wire rabbit cage. I have the heat lamp on just above the top of the cage. All the little girls are laying on top of each other AWAY from the light. Do you think they are hot? Thanks for the help!

Generally if they're trying to get as far away from the light as possible, they're too warm. Are they panting at all?

 

[Orca5094]

Sounds like they are too warm under the lamp, but if you feel their little legs you can tell if they are warm enough (or too cold) being away from the lamp. Other signs of being too warm will be panting like Kaessa said, or shivering if they are too cold. At any rate, if they are getting too warm with the heat lamp you can raise it up higher over their pen so it doesn't get quite so warm in there. I hope that all made sense.

 

[jbuzz323]

Thank you!! I came down this morning and they were all huddled under the light. We did have a warmer day yesterday and my house got a little warm, that probably didn't help.