Hello, I have 5 little bundles that hatched about 2wks ago and just wondering how long you keep them with heat and what temps you keep them at and for how long? Thanks for your help
At least 4 weeks or until they are fully feathered. 95 F degrees the first week, then decrease by 5 degrees each week. 2nd week, 90 deg F, etc. I watch the chicks to see what they need. If they are piling together under the light, then they are too cold. If they are all on the other side of the brooder, I move the light up. I use a swing arm lamp with a 60 watt bulb as my heater, so I'm always moving it around when I service the brooder. I don't really measure the temperature. I used to, but the chicks kept pooping on my thermometer!
It depends on where they are housed and time of year (outside temps). In the heat of summer I will usually move them outside to a cage inside the barn (out of wind, rain, etc) at around 3 weeks old with no light. If I have some hatch in the dead of winter I usually end up taking their light outside with them until the weather warms up.
