My New Babies ~ Heat

Humhill

Songster
10 Years
Jan 14, 2010
193
12
111
Liberty, NC
Got my ten babies yesterday from McMurray. Brought the little girls home to their brooder, an old guinea pig cage. We put cardboard around the outside to keep down drafts. I've got the 250W red heat bulb going and the brooder is in a storage building (a nice wooden one that doubles as DH's workshop). I've got a thermometer in with the chicks. Last night, when I out them in, the temp was up to 80. This morning I checked on them and it was 58. They seem content though. They're under the bulb, but they're not huddled together. Will they be ok? The light is down as far as it will go without being right on top of them.
Thanks!
 
Its really to cold i am afraid they will start dying at those temps. Go down 5 degrees per week. Those temps are ok for a 6 week old not a few days old.

Good Luck
Cristina
 
58 is WAY too cold for 3 or 4 day old chicks. They will not last very long at those temps. I would bring them into a laundry room, bathroom or even the garage to keep them warmer.
Good luck.
 
I Think the red heat lamps inferred heat can't check with themometer but they can feel it, put you hand and check. i used a clear bulb.
 
Do you have a little digital thermometer laying around the house? Toss that directly under the light and see what it says. Most of my brooder is about 75degrees because they are in my bathroom but directly under the 100 watt lightbulb is waaay warmer(90plus). They just need to have a REALLY warm place to snuggle when they want to go lay down.
 
I've never used a thermometer with chicks, but watched their behavior. If they were huddled tightly together (which you say they aren't) it's too cold. If they were clustered against the walls of the brooder trying to escape the heat, the light needs to move up. We've always had ours in the house at that age, which is nice because you can keep a better eye on them while they are so vulnerable - couldn't you do that for the first week or two? Plus it's fun to hear the little peeps. You could keep them in a plastic storage bin or something at first so they don't make a mess. Of course, if you're like me, you'll get nothing else done - they are so fun to watch. Good luck!
 
When my DH got home this afternoon, it had spiked at 102. So, I decided that wasn't consistent enough and we moved them into the basement. Everybody seemed happy. I'm going down after dinner to check again and I'll take some pics then.
 

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