New chick

[gander007]

 

[drumstick diva]

Just please be very careful with heat lamps - make sure it is connected securely in at least two different ways. All it takes is a fallen bulb to start a fire. In a short time your chicks will fly to the top of their brooder and sit on the edge. So you may need either a taller box or a wire cover over it to keep them inside and any pets out.

 

[sumi]

Welcome to BYC

Glad you joined us! Have a look around the Learning Center. We have a few articles there on raising chicks that I think you'll enjoy.

 

[MrsWagley]

My chicks came sooner than I expected and my heat light won't be here till tomorrow, the brooder temp is reading 89 with the light I have. I'm worried that they won't make it through the night like this. They are pretty quiet but are kinda huddled together under the light. Any advice on what I should do?

 

[TwoCrows]

Do you have a heating pad? Some of these shut off every two hours, but you could set it on medium and this can help keep them warm. Just make sure not to burn them. If you have a 60 watt bulb, you could lower into the box and cover half of the brooder with a towel. They need oxygen, so you don't want to keep it completely covered, but this might help raise the temp a bit.

I have raised broods at 88 to 90 degrees and they did very well. What breeds are they? My most recent Barred Rock babies couldn't tolerate any heat over 88 as 2 day olds as any higher and they were over heating and spastic.

Watch them closely and try to keep them warm till your lamp arrives. They should be ok.

 

[MrsWagley]

I have 1 Easter egger, 1 barred Plymouth Rock, 2 golden buff and 2 Rhode Island reds. I do not have a heat pad but I have someone bringing me a 75 watt bulb...

 

[TwoCrows]

Play around with it. Generally when chicks are uncomfortable they peep. So if yours are quiet, this is actually a good sign. Make sure they are eating and drinking and they should do just fine with this temporary set up. Try not to let the temp drop below 88 and not above 95. Keep us posted!

 

[MrsWagley]

Awesome, thanks! I was so worried about my little chicks. I feel much better now.

 

[lightchick]

I had sort of the same problem.....I got 2 new chicks and they were even still damp from hatching and my heat lamp burned out within 20 minutes after getting them. They were fine until the next day when I could get a new one. I used a normal light bulb and covered the top of my brooder.

 

[MrsWagley]

Thanks so much for the help and advice everyone. My chicks seem very comfy. They were however very active yesterday and are now sleeping quite a bit. The brooder is hanging around 93* and they are kinda huddled but not really. Does this just mean they are happy and tired from yesterdays havoc of settling into their new home perhaps? They seem to be eating and drinking fine, but slept through the night starting around 11 and woke up a couple times for a few minutes then settled back and have slept most of the day.
Also, this is off topic but a few of them appear to already have tiny feathers on the tips of their wings though they are only supposed to be two days old. Is it just different for different breeds then?