Humidity in Brooder

[Jennifer27fl]

I live is south florida where its very humid. Humidity outside is 69% and the temp is 70 and in my chicks brooder is 79% humidity and the temp is 75 according to the thermostat. I wanted to post because one of my chicks looks a little wet. Is this ok? I have plenty of ventilation. I am using a big plastic tote that I keep covered but it has holes on the top and the tote has holes on the side. I am a new chick mama and want to do whats best for these babies. My chicks will be 4 week on Tueday

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Can you post photos of the brooder setup and the chicks?

Sounds like the tote is sweating. It may be better make a top out of hardware cloth for better ventilation or use cage that is just covered in hardware cloth, this would give max ventilation in your humid climate.

At 4 weeks, they can probably stand being a little damp, but a lot depends on how well feathered in they are.

I'd worry about feed getting damp/moldy.

Do you have your coop/run ready for them? If your weather is fairly nice and your coop/run is secure from predators, then you may want to consider just transitioning them to that to finish brooding. You can provide them with one warm spot like a heating pad cave, brooder plate, etc for nighttime if it's still cool.

 

[Jennifer27fl]

Can you post photos of the brooder setup and the chicks?

Sounds like the tote is sweating. It may be better make a top out of hardware cloth for better ventilation or use cage that is just covered in hardware cloth, this would give max ventilation in your humid climate.

At 4 weeks, they can probably stand being a little damp, but a lot depends on how well feathered in they are.

I'd worry about feed getting damp/moldy.

Do you have your coop/run ready for them? If your weather is fairly nice and your coop/run is secure from predators, then you may want to consider just transitioning them to that to finish brooding. You can provide them with one warm spot like a heating pad cave, brooder plate, etc for nighttime if it's still cool.

 

[Jennifer27fl]

View attachment 4056942View attachment 4056943

I saw they spilled all thier water and all thier bedding was wet. I cleaned it all out and put new bedding. I do not have thier coop ready I am buying it next week. I think they spilled it because I tried raising thier water on a small box becuase they always have beding in it. I have them on Corid because one of them have diarrhea with bloody color.

 

[rosemarythyme]

You really need a lot more ventilation in that box and frankly more floor space too (the feeder and waterer take up a third of the space). A few holes at the top isn't enough. The entire top should be replaced (or nearly all of the center cut out) and augmented with some sort of open mesh to allow it to breathe.

 

[Jennifer27fl]

You really need a lot more ventilation in that box and frankly more floor space too (the feeder and waterer take up a third of the space). A few holes at the top isn't enough. The entire top should be replaced (or nearly all of the center cut out) and augmented with some sort of open mesh to allow it to breathe.

I appericate your feedback I will get a bigger tote tomorrow and will make a big hole in the new lid. I worry because they are kept in a bedroom and I dont want them to get a draft from the ac

 

[rosemarythyme]

I appericate your feedback I will get a bigger tote tomorrow and will make a big hole in the new lid. I worry because they are kept in a bedroom and I dont want them to get a draft from the ac

AC isn't a draft issue unless they're sitting directly under the vent.

How warm is it in your bedroom that you need the AC? (Nevermind I just saw it's between 70-75). At 4 weeks old if it's hot enough to run AC they should be weaned off heat as well, which will open up a little more space.

 

[Jennifer27fl]

We keep the ac on 72 since its very hot and humid here in South Florida. They are not directly under it. I also partially closed the vent in that room. Thier only heat source is the warming plate which does not have a manual temp control. I was told as I make the plate higher they will get less heat. I am a first time mama and learning I do have a heating pad underneath but have not used it. When I google temps on google it says 3 to 4 weeks the temp should be around 75. Is this accurate?

 

[rosemarythyme]

When I google temps on google it says 3 to 4 weeks the temp should be around 75. Is this accurate?

Yes and no. For standard feathered, healthy chicks to keep body temperature at that age they should have a warm area around 60-70ish. But they can also easily be away from heat and at lower temperatures for hours at a time. Since your house is quite warm they're already getting all the heat they need from the ambient air temperature.

Is your coop ready, or the run? Since it's warm inside I assume it's also warm outside too, and they're probably pretty close to being able to move out.

 

[Jennifer27fl]

Silly question but is there a such thing as them having too much space. Thier brooder now is 24 3/4" x 16 5/8" x 12 7/8" . The next size would be

Yes and no. For standard feathered, healthy chicks to keep body temperature at that age they should have a warm area around 60-70ish. But they can also easily be away from heat and at lower temperatures for hours at a time. Since your house is quite warm they're already getting all the heat they need from the ambient air temperature.

Is your coop ready, or the run? Since it's warm inside I assume it's also warm outside too, and they're probably pretty close to being able to move out.

Yes it is warm outside usually about 85 right now with 65 -75 %humidity. Summers get about 90-98 . I will be orderung thier coop and run this week on Amazon.