Just got our Buffs- brooder size/heat lamp question

[Rejoice]

We just brought home our 10 Buff Orpington chicks today. I am assuming they are only a few days old- we bought them at a local feed store. My brooder, for now, is a large Rubbermaid tub and I bought one of those 250 watt heat lamps because I had intended on keeping the brooder in our garage. The temps have been in the 40's at night but went into a drastic cold snap today so I brought the brooder into my laundry room. I am concerned it is too warm. With the lamp clipped to the side of the tub the thermometer reads between 80-85 degrees in every spot. They are not going under the side with the lamp and are crowding at the opposite end. Could it be too hot for them? If they should be at 90-95 degrees is that throughout the whole brooder or only on one part? They are also laying sort of flat with their legs more to the side than all scrunched.
This is when we first brought them home but now they are staying between the feeder and waterer. I have been searching through other posts to see if I need a part of the brooder to be cooler than others and what temp that section should be. Really nervous about loosing them.

 

[SusanPC]

If they are avoiding the light, you can probably raise it higher. It may be too warm. The goal is to get the 90 under the light and then have space for them to explore away from the heat. We had a hard time getting the temp. right in our tub in our house. Next time I will use a weaker bulb, but we had to build a PVC frame to get our light about 18-24" above the chicks so it wouldn't get too warm. Lift the light about 3" and see how the chicks act after temps even out. That worked better for me than using the thermometer. It they are still avoiding the light, raise it again. If they get too cold they will cheep and huddle under the light. Once you get it right you will know. Then it gets easier...

 

[Rejoice]

Thank you Susan. I moved the lamp so hopefully this will work. I wasn't sure it if had to cover the entire bottom of the tub or just half of it. Now it is only shining on half of it but still 80 degrees so hopefully we will be ok.

 

[SusanPC]

Good luck. The first week, they were very heat dependent, but I noticed during the second week they spent more time away from the heat. Now at 2.5 weeks, I have even found them sleeping far away from the light. Being in my 70 degree home, it doesn't take much to give them some extra heat. I took them outside today for 30 min.and it was probably in the mid 70s but we were in the sun. They were fine and didn't even gather under the lamp when I took them back inside. I did upgrade to a larger brooder at about 10 days which made it easier to have a warm and cooler zones. With your 10 I bet you need something bigger within a week.

 

[Rejoice]

What size container would be needed?

 

[WickeeChickee]

Plan on about 1 square foot of space per chick till they go to coop at about six weeks. For us, this meant a 2x3 aquarium for six BO chicks. It had 2 foot high sides and worked perfectly! With 10 chicks you might need to build something large enough to accommodate them - unless they'll be going to your secure coop sooner rather than later.

 

[Rejoice]

Thanks everyone for your help. Because they are inside we changed the 250 watt heat bulb for a 100 watt halogen bulb and the temp is 90 degrees now under the lamp and probably a little cooler at the other end. Prayerfully this will keep them warm enough.