Is a heat lamp necessary for baby chicks?

[FC16]

Was thinking of incubating some eggs. However I’ve never done this before and was wondering if a heat lamp is a necessity for baby chicks. Can they survive without one?

 

[LizzzyJo]

You need a heat lamp, a heated stand, or a broody hen. Or a room that stays at 90 degrees for a week...

 

[FC16]

You need a heat lamp, a heated stand, or a broody hen. Or a room that stays at 90 degrees for a week...

Would having a heater near them be ok?

 

[LizzzyJo]

Would having a heater near them be ok?

You need a thermometer where they are. If it says 90 or 85 for the first week (or whatever temperature guidelines you're using) and they have an area to get about 10 degrees cooler than that as an option, then you should be good.

 

[SomeSortOfHomesteader]

Would having a heater near them be ok?

This is one of those technically yes; however, if it's your first time just get a heat lamp type of deals.

For $18 you can save yourself a lot of head & heart ache with dead or sick chicks.

 

[Painted Calls]

A heat source is absolutely necessary. I use a metal dome with a clamp, and a regular light bulb. I measure temp on the warm side with a thermometer and then I just raise it a bit every week. They will tell you if they're too hot or too cold. If they stay piled up under the heat source - they're too cold. Lower it a very little bit. If they stay over on the cool side - they're too hot.

 

[NatJ]

was wondering if a heat lamp is a necessity for baby chicks. Can they survive without one?

As other people have said, the chicks need to have the right temperature.

The chicks do not care what thing makes the heat, whether it's a heat lamp or a heater of some other kind.

I suggest you set up what you want to use, and check with a thermometer several times over about two days and nights to see if you can keep the area at a steady, appropriate temperature. For baby chickens, if you are measuring in farenheit, you should try for 90 to 95 degrees in part of their space, and below 80 degrees in another part of their space. Baby chicks are good at going back and forth between the warm and cool spaces to find the place that is just right, but that only works if they have suitable temperatures to choose from.

If you're using celsius, try about 32 to 25 degrees for the warm area, and below 25 degrees for the cool area.