Lightbulbs *Chick Pictures*

[Andora]

I definitely don't want anything to happen to them with the wire bottom! I'll do newspaper and paper towels tomorrow. I can't get over how tiny and delicate they are!! I wish my husband would let me bring them in the house, I would be sleeping next to them to keep an eye on them.

 

[sis]

Where are you keeping them? barn? garage?
I have 5 bantys five weeks old, I take them outside durring the day to a 4 by 8 ft wire brooder. and at night I bring them inside to a box in the kitchen.
I have 5 chicks 4 days old in a rubber maid tote in the computer room.
20 chickens all hens in the coop.
oh and 12 eggs in the incubator.

 

[cyrixlord]

ah that brings back memories from the days when my 2 girls were the most fragile little babies!

 

[shareneh]

I remember this spring feeling much like you. Just be very careful with them the first couple of weeks and if they were meant to survive they will. I put a little box on it's side in my brooder for them to get out of the heat if they wanted to. I think that will make them more comfortable as well. Good Luck.

 

[sis]

Quote:
Your chickens are beautiful. Ever want to sell a couple of eggs, let me know.
Your garden photos, yard, just beautiful, very relaxing.

 

[cmom]

Quote:
Congratulations on you new babies! I agree with LilBizzy. I used shavings when my babies were in their brooder but I used a small mesh wire brooder very similar to yours and the one in Gail Damerow's 'Storey's Guide to Chickens'. I kept my brooder in the barn initially with a 60 watt incandesant bulb in my brooder lamp 24 hrs a day until they started getting their feathers. Originally, I put a shoe box lid in the brooder with some pine shavings in it that they like to scratch and lay in. Later, I put a box that holds a case of 24 soft drinks in the brooder with some pine shavings in the box under the light, and later I used a a plastic storage box lid and all the chicks would snuggle and stay warm. Sometimes some of the chicks would wander around the brooder. I took the wire off the lamp and laid it on top of the cages with the 60 watt bulb. I put the lamp over the area where the shoebox cover was. I put several sheets of news paper under the bottom and everyday I take out the top poopy sheet of paper and trash it..The bottom of the cages are wire. the paper goes under the bottom of the cages so the poop goes through the wire. I made an enclosed area outside in the sun, on nice days, and protected the area from drafts where I put their brooder. I only put the brooder lamp on at night other wise it was on 24 hrs a day. In the evening, I would take their brooder back into the barn. I made a covered area for their brooder so the heat from the bulb would heat the brooder. I would check the temp daily with a wireless digital thermometer . I didn't want to overheat them and I didn't want them to get to cold. Since I got my girls late summer/early fall, on really cold nights I put a red heat lamp on top of the brooder in place of the 60 watt bulb. Also I put a wood dowell through the cage approx 1" off the bottom for them to practice roosting on.I didn't introduce them to the coop ontil they were nearly 6 weeks old.