New brooder set up

[iclairedonaldson]

Hello again!
I posted yesterday about diagnosing the deaths if two chicks, and general consensus was that the space I gave them didn't leave any room for them to moderate their temperature.

At first I adjusted the heat lamp, but their cheeping still seemed more plaintive than content, so I've moved them to this dog kennel and thought I should take a photo to get feedback. They seem much happier now, but I am not sure about the heat lamp placement.

 

[Morrison1020]

Hello again!
I posted yesterday about diagnosing the deaths if two chicks, and general consensus was that the space I gave them didn't leave any room for them to moderate their temperature.

At first I adjusted the heat lamp, but their cheeping still seemed more plaintive than content, so I've moved them to this dog kennel and thought I should take a photo to get feedback. They seem much happier now, but I am not sure about the heat lamp placement.

do you have a thermometer in the brooder? looking at the picture it seems to low for the chicks. maybe to hot. If you don't have a thermometer i would suggest getting one. the dog crate may work better but you may not need that high of a wattage for the light. just a thought

 

[iclairedonaldson]

do you have a thermometer in the brooder? looking at the picture it seems to low for the chicks. maybe to hot. If you don't have a thermometer i would suggest getting one. the dog crate may work better but you may not need that high of a wattage for the light. just a thought

I have a thermometer in the brooder and moved the front of the kennel so it could shine through from a little higher. The temperature there is reading 90. They seemed active throughout the day and lay under it while they sleep.

 

[Morrison1020]

I have a thermometer in the brooder and moved the front of the kennel so it could shine through from a little higher. The temperature there is reading 90. They seemed active throughout the day and lay under it while they sleep.

Not sure you how old your chicks are but remember the temp has to be adjusted each week. Leave a thermometer where the heat lamp is shining on here’s a chart to help you with temps

 

[Henrybelle]

That heat lamp looks way too low to me your chicks are probably too hot. where are you located? what have outdoor temps been? I have some 1week olds as well as some 4 day olds that during the day I have outside with no supplemental heat. It has been low 80s where I am and when I bring them into the garage at night their heat lamp is about 20 inches from the top of their box. I have never used a thermometer just kinda moved around seeing where they sleep judging it off their behavior. Hope that helps you out

 

[Henrybelle]

Also the More outdoor time they get even if it’s in small increments helps them build up temp tolerances and they begin to feather out sooner. When they brood with mom she takes them out with her at only a few days old

 

[iclairedonaldson]

Its 50 degrees outside where I live. 60 inside. We've been heating the room they're in to 70, and the temperature under their lamp is 87. They're 1 week old. I'll definitely try taking them out soon, so they feather out. They've seemed happy and energetic since I last posted, so I'm feeling much better about their progress.

Thank you all!

 

[Henrybelle]

Glad they’re doing better I’m still worried about how low your heat lamp is is there anyway to take the top half of the crate off and cover with chuck wire or hardware cloth and then attach the heat lamp someplace a little higher?

 

[Henrybelle]

Chicken wire sorry not chuck wire

 

[iclairedonaldson]

Glad they’re doing better I’m still worried about how low your heat lamp is is there anyway to take the top half of the crate off and cover with chuck wire or hardware cloth and then attach the heat lamp someplace a little higher?

This is a really late reply, but I did remove the top of the kennel, cover it with chicken wire, and found a tripod to raise the lamp with. Chicks are currently looking good.