I need to know what I'm doing wrong...

[chickens 4 life]

I put a thin piece of cardboard just so the chicks wouldn't walk into and burn themselves near the heat lamp. Should I have done that?

 

[chickens 4 life]

Also, the other eggs have not piped yet, how long should I wait?

 

[Artichoke Lover]

What day are you on now?

Can you move the lamp higher up. Away from the bedding? It’s hard to tell from the pic but it looks like it’s a fire risk with how low it is.

 

[chickens 4 life]

What day are you on now?

Can you move the lamp higher up. Away from the bedding? It’s hard to tell from the pic but it looks like it’s a fire risk with how low it is.

I'll try to move it, but there's no other way. And it's day 22.

 

[NatJ]

Can you move the lamp higher up. Away from the bedding? It’s hard to tell from the pic but it looks like it’s a fire risk with how low it is.

What is the temperature, measured with a thermometer, right under the heat lamp?
What is the temperature at the coolest part of the brooder?

I agree with @Artichoke Lover that it looks like a possible fire risk, and I am also worried about the chicks overheating in that enclosed space.

I put a thin piece of cardboard just so the chicks wouldn't walk into and burn themselves near the heat lamp. Should I have done that?

I see chicken wire around the heat lamp too. If the chicks cannot get through the chicken wire, you should not need the cardboard to keep them chicks from burning themselves.

The usual way to use a heat lamp: hang it high enough the chicks cannot reach it, with the temperature directly under the heat lamp being about 90 to 100 degrees Fahrenheit. But it is important that only a small area of the brooder is that warm. The chicks also need access to an area below 80 degrees Fahrenheit, and below 70 is even better. That way they can move back and forth and find the spot which is just right. "Just right" varies depending on what they are doing at the time, which is why it is so useful to offer them a range of temperatures.

 

[chickens 4 life]

What is the temperature, measured with a thermometer, right under the heat lamp?
What is the temperature at the coolest part of the brooder?

I agree with @Artichoke Lover that it looks like a possible fire risk, and I am also worried about the chicks overheating in that enclosed space.


I see chicken wire around the heat lamp too. If the chicks cannot get through the chicken wire, you should not need the cardboard to keep them chicks from burning themselves.

The usual way to use a heat lamp: hang it high enough the chicks cannot reach it, with the temperature directly under the heat lamp being about 90 to 100 degrees Fahrenheit. But it is important that only a small area of the brooder is that warm. The chicks also need access to an area below 80 degrees Fahrenheit, and below 70 is even better. That way they can move back and forth and find the spot which is just right. "Just right" varies depending on what they are doing at the time, which is why it is so useful to offer them a range of temperatures.

Ok! The temperature under the lamp is 95 F and coolest part is 88 F. It's not actually enclosed since part of the top is not covered. Should I not cover the whole brooder?

 

[NatJ]

Ok! The temperature under the lamp is 95 F and coolest part is 88 F. It's not actually enclosed since part of the top is not covered. Should I not cover the whole brooder?

Chicks need plenty of fresh air too, so it's best to only cover the top with something like wire mesh or window screen, not any solid covering. (When the chicks start trying to fly in a week or two, you will need some kind of covering to keep them in; and if you have cats or dogs, you will need something to keep them out too.)

95 under the lamp is acceptable, but a bit cooler should also be fine.
88 at the far end is pretty high, so I would try to get that lower-- uncovering the entire brooder might help.

In general, the bigger the brooder, the easier it is to manage the temperature, because you can just have one end "too hot" and the other "too cold," and somewhere in between will be "just right." With a smaller brooder, you have a smaller range of temperatures, so you have to be more careful about the details.

 

[chickens 4 life]

Ok! I usually see them hanging around the spot where I divided the heat lamp from

Chicks need plenty of fresh air too, so it's best to only cover the top with something like wire mesh or window screen, not any solid covering. (When the chicks start trying to fly in a week or two, you will need some kind of covering to keep them in; and if you have cats or dogs, you will need something to keep them out too.)

95 under the lamp is acceptable, but a bit cooler should also be fine.
88 at the far end is pretty high, so I would try to get that lower-- uncovering the entire brooder might help.

In general, the bigger the brooder, the easier it is to manage the temperature, because you can just have one end "too hot" and the other "too cold," and somewhere in between will be "just right." With a smaller brooder, you have a smaller range of temperatures, so you have to be more careful about the details.

Ok! I'll try to get it down and will update you about it.

 

[chickens 4 life]

UPDATE: Cracked open 2 eggs, dead embryos...
Two left...

 

[chickens 4 life]

UPDATE: Cracked open 2 eggs, dead embryos...
Two left...

Also the incubator smells horrible.