Lamp distance!

[BigBlueHen53]

Also does your brooder have a warm and a cool zone, so the chicks can get in an area they are most comfortable in? Can you post a pic of your brooder so we can advise better?

 

[Jazmelina]

Also does your brooder have a warm and a cool zone, so the chicks can get in an area they are most comfortable in? Can you post a pic of your brooder so we can advise better?

Is this good? Or do you think I should probably get a bigger brooder?

 

[Huntmaster]

View attachment 3020416
Is this good? Or do you think I should probably get a bigger brooder?

Sorry I didn't get back to you yesterday but looks like others have been helping. From looking at your picture it looks like you may have to high of voltage of heat lamp bulb for size of your brooder, (heating whole brooder). Chicks need a warm spot in brooder to warm up when needed and be able to get away from heat as needed also. They can and will move to temp to suit themselves as long as it's available for them to do so. Just going by picture doesn't look like they have enough room to get away from heat if to warm. I would suggest larger brooder and concentrating heat source to one end of brooder leaving enough room away from heat source for cooler end with feed and water on cooler end. Depending on age of chicks depends on how warm heated end needs to be. Just a guideline for heat and age is 95-90 degrees first week of age and dropping that temp by 5 degrees each week after. Warm area only needs to be large enough and hot enough for all chicks in brooder to be able to access at same time without piling on top of each other. Panting, standing with droopy wings and staying as far away from heat source as possible is signs of being too hot. All of them piling together under heat source means too cold. Looks like others have given you other advice to help. Hopefully this helps but if you have any other questions don't be afraid to ask If I can't help there are many others on BYC that probably can. Good luck and congratulations on your new additions to your family.

 

[Gulf war veteran]

Sorry I didn't get back to you yesterday but looks like others have been helping. From looking at your picture it looks like you may have to high of voltage of heat lamp bulb for size of your brooder, (heating whole brooder). Chicks need a warm spot in brooder to warm up when needed and be able to get away from heat as needed also. They can and will move to temp to suit themselves as long as it's available for them to do so. Just going by picture doesn't look like they have enough room to get away from heat if to warm. I would suggest larger brooder and concentrating heat source to one end of brooder leaving enough room away from heat source for cooler end with feed and water on cooler end. Depending on age of chicks depends on how warm heated end needs to be. Just a guideline for heat and age is 95-90 degrees first week of age and dropping that temp by 5 degrees each week after. Warm area only needs to be large enough and hot enough for all chicks in brooder to be able to access at same time without piling on top of each other. Panting, standing with droopy wings and staying as far away from heat source as possible is signs of being too hot. All of them piling together under heat source means too cold. Looks like others have given you other advice to help. Hopefully this helps but if you have any other questions don't be afraid to ask If I can't help there are many others on BYC that probably can. Good luck and congratulations on your new additions to your family.

Exactly my thoughts...the brooder is too small. The chicks can't get away from the heat.

 

[aart]

Too much heat for too small a brooder.
Definitely get a thermometer.
Here's some tips about chick heat:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/aarts-chick-heat-blurb.75619/

 

[Jazmelina]

Thank you all very much!! I will be getting a bigger brooder for sure. Thank you for the advice.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

How many chicks?

Also, it won't be long before your littles will be hopping out of that. Can you rig some kind of lid out of netting for them? What we did for ours was to cut big sections out of the plastic lid that came with the bin, and replace the sections with soft plastic netting. Hardware cloth would also work. Window screen is too tight a weave and could cause overheating.

How's chicky doing today?

 

[Lemon-Drop]

Have you checked for pasty butt too? (I do a routine check daily for the first few weeks anyway) I agree with the others, the brooder is also on the small side.

 

[3KillerBs]

Use a lower-wattage bulb. You're indoors, those 250w bulbs are for outside in the cold.

 

[Jazmelina]

How many chicks?

Also, it won't be long before your littles will be hopping out of that. Can you rig some kind of lid out of netting for them? What we did for ours was to cut big sections out of the plastic lid that came with the bin, and replace the sections with soft plastic netting. Hardware cloth would also work. Window screen is too tight a weave and could cause overheating.

How's chicky doing today?

Six chicks!
They are doing well now!!
I do need to probably get a lid..haha!