Local hatchery and mail order hatchery chicks

[bakersdozenroo]

Hello, first time chicken owner I am getting 6 chicks on Friday from a local hatchery and then on the following Monday I’ll be getting another 6 female chicks and 1 rooster chick from a mail order hatchery. The mail order hatchery said that the chicks should be put with a heat lamp as they will be stressed from travel. I only have a heat plate as I had read they are much safer. Do you all think it will be okay to just have the mail order chicks under the heat lamp? Especially because they will be added with the local chicks who will have been there for a few days before they get there?

 

[thecatumbrella]

Depending on how quickly the chicks arrive, and how healthy they are, most will be fine to use the heat plate immediately. The problem is if some get chilled in transit (weather, or taking too long to arrive) or are weak. A weak, cold chick will sit under the heat plate and not come out to eat or drink.

I lost one chick this way. We removed her hourly to eat/drink on a heated pad, but I wish I had used a heat lamp for just that first day or two. It might have made the difference.

So ideally, you would use a heat lamp for at least the first day to get everyone eating and drinking, then switch to the heat plate that night (without the heat lamp). Have it ready to go and warmed off to the side, then tuck them under before bed and turn off the heat lamp. The hope is everyone's recovered the next morning, and you can go to heat plate only.

Edit: Wanted to add one more thought. I would always start mail order chicks indoors (I know some people brood outside), and if you can place them in a room where you can crank the heat, that would be even better. We're in peak summer right now, but in March, I used a space heater to get the room up to 75 for those first few days with only a heat plate. It did help and the chicks spent more time out eating and drinking than they would if I left the room at 66-68.