New chick questions! *first try at posting was an error*

[Writerchick324]

We bought some chick's and two turkeys from the country store yesterday. I am acting like a new mom, so paranoid! I am trying to keep the temp to exactly 95 degrees but it keeps varying. We have them in a large plastic tote with the lid propped open and a large hole cut in the lid for the heat lamp. Without the lid it was getting too cold at night. Sometimes it will get up to 98.5 or 99.5 so I raise the lid a little more to cool it, but then it goes down to 92 or so...so I lower it a smidge again. The chick's seem to sleep a lot, I keep thinking they are getting sick from too much or too little heat since I see them sleeping so often... Lol! We have 14 chick's and 2 turkeys. Sometimes 8 chick's will be huddled in a corner napping while the others are wandering around or sleeping on their own. Is that normal? I can't tell then if the temp is too hot then since the group is not sleeping under the light. Are they super sensitive to degree changes or variances-is 98 too hot and will kill them? I am so afraid our first attempt on our new farm will be a horrifying disaster because I wasn't watching them close enough.

 

[Folly's place]

Welcome! You should have a hardware cloth top, so there's good air flow. Have the heat lamp double or triple tied, so no disasters! It should be at one side of the pen, so the chicks can move closer or further away to be comfortable. Too warm isn't good either! Sounds like it's too warm at least under the light. Pictures? Mary

 

[BonRae67]

Welcome!  You should have a hardware cloth top, so there's good air flow.  Have the heat lamp double or triple tied, so no disasters!  It should be at one side of the pen, so the chicks can move closer or further away to be comfortable.  Too warm isn't good either!  Sounds like it's too warm at least under the light.  Pictures?  Mary

Agreed. Also where are you checking the temp, under the light or away from the light? It should be 95 under and around the light and cooler away from it. With that many, you may see them huddled in groups not all together.

 

[Writerchick324]

Thank you! Here are some pictures. The light is in the center with food at one side and water on the other so it gave them a little more room to room. The thermometer is on the back wall under the lamp. The third pic kinda shows them huddled together. The pics aren't in my preview so I may need to edit this post.

 

[BonRae67]

I would put the heat on one end and food and water on the other. They have a warm side and a cooler side.

 

[Writerchick324]