Need advice on caring for my first chicks :)

[ChickenGirl555]

They were all in the same cage together at the shop I got them from and are getting along really well thank goodness..there were about 200 chicks there in a space not much bigger than ive got the 5 in now, and they have been away from their mother since birth have never seen their mother..she hatched them in an incubator from eggs.. so I think they are so relieved to get lots of space and food and snuggles..on the way home they were scared and i kept them on my lap and talked to them all the way home but as soon as i would stop talking they would start crying again..when i first got them home they were pecking each other a little and crying and looked disheveled and upset but now they are all cleaning each other and being lovey dovey together..so far so good! Thanks <3

Yes, we got two of each breed (Barred rock, Ameraucauna, and Buff Orpington) so when they first arrived we put them in a large bin, and they slept in pairs for a few days before joining together and thinking they were the same. They were this way because in the shop WE got them from, they were separated by breed. But now they cry if even one if missing from their group. It makes it easy to keep track of them too seeing how they are never far from each other.

 

[HeidiEmbrey]

Yes, we got two of each breed (Barred rock, Ameraucauna, and Buff Orpington) so when they first arrived we put them in a large bin, and they slept in pairs for a few days before joining together and thinking they were the same. They were this way because in the shop WE got them from, they were separated by breed. But now they cry if even one if missing from their group. It makes it easy to keep track of them too seeing how they are never far from each other.

That's good to know.. I've been thinking what preventative measures I can take to keep them from having any trouble when they are bigger, with their size differences.. like two feeders different heights, and two waterers different heights.. stuff like that ..

 

[aart]

You don't need to keep the brooder all a uniform temperature. Chicks benefit by having a much cooler space in which to shed excess heat.

They need to have a cooler space.

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'. 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

 

[HeidiEmbrey]

They need to have a cooler space.

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'. 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

They need to have a cooler space.

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'. 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

Thank you. I'm terrified of them overheating..I do have the light at one end and their food at the other end and they are doing what you said..sleeping together but not huddled under the light..running all around..seem well.. I'm using a 75 watt bulb..I didn't have time today to make a cave with my heating pad but plan to try that out tomorrow ..thanks so much everyone for all the help!

 

[aart]

Use thermometer on floor under lamp then at other end to check temps.
Take that blanket off the top.

 

[HeidiEmbrey]

Use thermometer on floor under lamp then at other end to check temps.
Take that blanket off the top.

Why would I need to remove the blanket? It's been in the low 60s in my house, 50s outside, the last few nights. We don't have heat. Don't need it usually. But if I take the blanket off it goes down to 60s in there. i think that would be a bad idea considering they are just two weeks old and every tutorial is saying they need 85 or 90.. I think my temperature is perfect. They're acting just like they're supposed to. Not panting..not trying to get far from the light..not huddling..half the box is uncovered so I know they're getting good air. Next week I'm going to put them in a big refrigerator box

 

[aart]

every tutorial is saying they need 85 or 90

The 85-90 is only directly under the lamp or heat source, and only for the first days maybe a week, the rest of the area can be much cooler. At 2 weeks they are far from fragile and it's good for them to be exposed to cooler air. If a broody hen was raising them they would be out and about unless the needed a warm up. I had a broody in the middle of winter, those chicks were out roaming in 30F and less.

Where are you located?
Good to put your location in profile.

 

[HeidiEmbrey]

The 85-90 is only directly under the lamp or heat source, and only for the first days maybe a week, the rest of the area can be much cooler. At 2 weeks they are far from fragile and it's good for them to be exposed to cooler air. If a broody hen was raising them they would be out and about unless the needed a warm up. I had a broody in the middle of winter, those chicks were out roaming in 30F and less.

Where are you located?
Good to put your location in profile.

Wow 30F..at two weeks?..well I am uncovering them and keeping the room 75 to 80 F, during the day, and with the windows open in the room for fresh air, but at night it has to be covered..last night even covered it was only 85 under the light.. The 90 is only under the light and I'm raising it a degree a day. If they hadn't been in such kind of thin shape when I got them home I don't think I would baby them so much but I wanted to take extra special care of them for the first few days after the shock especially. I'm in Florida but we had a cold snap the night I got them, it was 50 again last night..I don't like it.. I'll figure out how to put where I am on my profile..thanks

 

[aart]

Wow 30F..at two weeks?

The day they hatched it was 38F, but temps had been in the single digits, and some negative F's, before and after hatch. Early February in Michigan. I went out one morning the first week after hatch it was -5F and those little buggers were out of the nest bouncing around...not for long, mind you.....but still.

It's hard at first to understand just how tough they are, it takes some observational experience to read their behaviors. That's why it's good to use thermometers under heat and at other end of brooder your first couple batches of chicks. I now keep temps as low as possible, after the first week, turn it down until they start to squawk about it then bump it back up a tad. It's healthier for them, many chick ailments come from overheating.