New chicken mom here! Obsessed with temperatures! I have 4 thermometers and I trust none of them! So the first week I tinkered with the height of the heat lamp, and found they were happiest about 92-93 degrees. Now it's the second week, and the chicken books are in my head, saying "drop the temp 5 degrees." So I raised the heat lamp, and the temp is now in the upper 80's. Two are huddled under the lamp. Two are on the opposite side of the brooder. How the heck are you supposed to know what's the right temp? I need a tranquilizer. Or at least a glass of wine.
I think that sometimes you can just go with what the chicks are telling you. If they were all under the light on top of one another then you would know that they were not warm enough. It really isnt an exact science either, in my opinion. Some of my chicks will sleep near the light and others are on the other side of the brooder. It all depends on the chick.
I really know what you mean. I have the same obsession, always have, always will. BTW, I just read where a human oral thermometer is the best way to determine the real temperature of your brooder. (Does this mean I can return all the thermometers I bought, including the weather station I put IN the coop??? LOL!) And measure at the outskirts of the circle of light, NOT right underneath it. HTH Ma
I don't have 4 thermometers..but I do have parts of the brooder much warmer than other parts. My little chicks (same age, just much smaller) want to be warmer. There are about 4 or 5 of them that like to be warmer than the others. So..temps range from 92 - 80 depending on where they are in the box/brooder. I also just switched them from the plactic tote to a large wooden box. The box doesn't hold the heat in as well as the tote but has twice (at least) as much room.
