I’m getting Rhode Island Red chicks

[RIR chicks]

Keep a heat lamp on them 24 hrs a day. Some advise a specific temp to keep the brooder at but the chicks will let you know what they want. If they are spread out all over the brooder then it is perfect temp but if they are all huddled under the heat lamp together they they are cold. If this happens keep an eye on them and lower the lamp.

I think I might get a heat pad i will ask my parents what they want

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I prefer plate to pad - most heating pads you find have a limited on time. You need a reptile pad or the like - but most of them are designed to be placed under a glass aquarium or some rock media to distribute heat. A plate like this Heat Plate - Example Only is probably the better choice if you are brooding a small number of birds at once.

If, for example, I was brooding a new hatch of 50 meat birds, I'd go back to the 5x12 brooder box and a double heat lamp, with the multiple daily checks to adjust the lamp height (hung from ropes and pulley - 'cause I'm lazy.

 

[Old mother hen]

You put them in your barn can I put mine in our garage?

You can put them in a cardboard box with some shavings and a clip on lamp over top . Maybe a rug under the box as the concrete can be damp and cold.

 

[Old mother hen]

You can put them in a cardboard box with some shavings and a clip on lamp over top . Maybe a rug under the box as the concrete can be damp and cold.

I don't know what kind you have but the larger size birds can take the cooler temperatures

 

[wyoDreamer]

My chicks are a week old, and the lady I got them from had them under a heat lamp. I checked on them last evening and they were standing in a corner in a cluster. They were not peeping, but I could tell they were starting to get chilly as they were all puffed up.

One by one, I put them under the cave on the heat mat and held them there for a few seconds so they could feel the warmth. They all ran back out to the corner peeping, trying to get under the other peeps to get warm.

Then I realized, they were looking for the heat LAMP, to them heat had to be light. I turned off the lights directly overhead the brooder so that it was a little darker in there. That really got them distress peeping. Then, one by one I put them under the cave on the heat mat. 2 minutes later, no distress peeping, no pig pile in the corner trying to get warm, and no light to keep them awake and active.

This morning, they were out and about. They had finished off the food that I left last night and were darting back under the cave to warm up, then popping out to scratch through the shavings looking for more to eat. Happy little peeps.

 

[RIR chicks]

I don't know what kind you have but the larger size birds can take the cooler temperatures

We are getting Rhode Island reds but we might get pullets instead. Who know????

 

[RIR chicks]

My chicks are a week old, and the lady I got them from had them under a heat lamp. I checked on them last evening and they were standing in a corner in a cluster. They were not peeping, but I could tell they were starting to get chilly as they were all puffed up.

One by one, I put them under the cave on the heat mat and held them there for a few seconds so they could feel the warmth. They all ran back out to the corner peeping, trying to get under the other peeps to get warm.

Then I realized, they were looking for the heat LAMP, to them heat had to be light. I turned off the lights directly overhead the brooder so that it was a little darker in there. That really got them distress peeping. Then, one by one I put them under the cave on the heat mat. 2 minutes later, no distress peeping, no pig pile in the corner trying to get warm, and no light to keep them awake and active.

This morning, they were out and about. They had finished off the food that I left last night and were darting back under the cave to warm up, then popping out to scratch through the shavings looking for more to eat. Happy little peeps.

We might get pullets instead

 

[wyoDreamer]

It will be nice to get older birds and not have to deal with the warmth issues at this time of year. Hopefully, you have your coop ready for them.

 

[RIR chicks]

It will be nice to get older birds and not have to deal with the warmth issues at this time of year. Hopefully, you have your coop ready for them.

I heard it will cost about the same. Chicks will need more care, which I can offer. Pullets might not be as friendly but, will start producing eggs faster. My brother might hurt the chicks but, maybe not pullets. Chicks might be friendlier but, my little brother might make them not be as friendly like he did our dog.

 

[RIR chicks]

We can’t decide. Who started with chicks were they successful? Who started with pullets, were they more successful?