My duckling was panting today in middle of brooder! I’m worried sick! Please help!!

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Newduckmommy1221 said:
You think I could use a reptile bulb?
Click to expand...
I use a 100W red incandescent reptile bulb on a dimmer extension cord(very easy to control heat output). I've found the ceramic ones are a bit too hot right under then cool off quickly as you move away.

Here's my notes on chick heat, hope something in there might help:
They need to be pretty warm(~85-90F on the brooder floor right under the lamp and 10-20 degrees cooler at the other end of brooder) for the first day or two, especially if they have been shipped, until they get to eating, drinking and moving around well. But after that it's best to keep them as cool as possible for optimal feather growth and quicker acclimation to outside temps. A lot of chick illnesses are attributed to too warm of a brooder. I do think it's a good idea to use a thermometer on the floor of the brooder to check the temps, especially when new at brooding, later I still use it but more out of curiosity than need.

The best indicator of heat levels is to watch their behavior:
-If they are huddled/piled up right under the lamp and cheeping very loudly, they are too cold.
-If they are spread out on the absolute edges of the brooder as far from the lamp as possible, panting and/or cheeping very loudly, they are too hot.
-If they sleep around the edge of the lamp calmly just next to each other and spend time running all around the brooder they are juuuust right!

The lamp is best at one end of the brooder with food/water at the other cooler end of the brooder, so they can get away from the heat or be under it as needed. Wattage of 'heat' bulb depends on size of brooder and ambient temperature of room brooder is in. Regular incandescent bulbs can be used, you might not need a 'heat bulb'. If you do use a heat bulb make sure it's specifically for poultry, some heat bulbs for food have teflon coatings that can kill birds. You can get red colored incandescent bulbs at a reptile supply source. A dimmer extension cord is an excellent way to adjust the output of the bulb to change the heat without changing the height of the lamp.

Or you could go with a heat plate, commercially made or DIY: http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/pseudo-brooder-heater-plate
 
aart said:
I use a 100W red incandescent reptile bulb on a dimmer extension cord(very easy to control heat output). I've found the ceramic ones are a bit too hot right under then cool off quickly as you move away.

Here's my notes on chick heat, hope something in there might help:
They need to be pretty warm(~85-90F on the brooder floor right under the lamp and 10-20 degrees cooler at the other end of brooder) for the first day or two, especially if they have been shipped, until they get to eating, drinking and moving around well. But after that it's best to keep them as cool as possible for optimal feather growth and quicker acclimation to outside temps. A lot of chick illnesses are attributed to too warm of a brooder. I do think it's a good idea to use a thermometer on the floor of the brooder to check the temps, especially when new at brooding, later I still use it but more out of curiosity than need.

The best indicator of heat levels is to watch their behavior:
-If they are huddled/piled up right under the lamp and cheeping very loudly, they are too cold.
-If they are spread out on the absolute edges of the brooder as far from the lamp as possible, panting and/or cheeping very loudly, they are too hot.
-If they sleep around the edge of the lamp calmly just next to each other and spend time running all around the brooder they are juuuust right!

The lamp is best at one end of the brooder with food/water at the other cooler end of the brooder, so they can get away from the heat or be under it as needed. Wattage of 'heat' bulb depends on size of brooder and ambient temperature of room brooder is in. Regular incandescent bulbs can be used, you might not need a 'heat bulb'. If you do use a heat bulb make sure it's specifically for poultry, some heat bulbs for food have teflon coatings that can kill birds. You can get red colored incandescent bulbs at a reptile supply source. A dimmer extension cord is an excellent way to adjust the output of the bulb to change the heat without changing the height of the lamp.

Or you could go with a heat plate, commercially made or DIY: http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/pseudo-brooder-heater-plate
Click to expand...
Wow you have been so informative! My brooder is a clear storage bin I bought at Walmart. It’s 14inches (height) by 30inches (length) and 20inches (width). I have the heat lamp on the left side of the brooder and aaay from the water and food side. The heat lamp is sitting 16inches on top of the brooder. It’s at 80F from floor of brooder. The temp in the house is fluctuating from 70-74F (I live in Ontario, Canada). So you’re saying for the first day or two I should have the heat lamp on? I’m on day 7 today... I’m lowering the temp by 5 degrees each week.
 
Miss Lydia said:
How are your little ones doing? @newduckmommy?
Click to expand...
They’re doing good, I bought the lamp for reptiles that only produces heat and no light at 100W from amazon and they were a bit scared of it at first but now they are fine with it. I’m finfingvthey are sitting away from it though so I’m going to be lifting the light higher at night to give them warmth. But I have the warmer turned off for the majority of the day. Also, I have a question. They’re still eating their duck feed, is that okay? Or do I need to transition into something different? They are 1.5 weeks old
 
If you can get duck feed by all means keep them on it. Has all they need. Is this starter? Also if you introduce any other food like shredded romaine or meal worms they will need chick grit since they have to grind up anything they eat other than their crumble

One nice thing about the reptile bulb is it won't roast them.
 
Miss Lydia said:
If you can get duck feed by all means keep them on it. Has all they need. Is this starter? Also if you introduce any other food like shredded romaine or meal worms they will need chick grit since they have to grind up anything they eat other than their crumble

One nice thing about the reptile bulb is it won't roast them.
Click to expand...
Yes it’s starter duck feed, I mixed it with water the first week and 2 days to make it a paste for them but I found that they just wanted to say the dry duck feed now as they’re growing older. So that’s what I’ve kept them on so far. I add peas (mashed up) sometimes as a treat and mashed up bananas too.
 

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