New Chicken mommy

[mamabearsin]

Ok So, I am completely new to raising chicks, my husband built a brooder in my bathroom, and it is hot as heck in our house, I was just wondering if it would be on to turn my air on. The chicks have a heat source in their box, I regularly check the temperature in there, I just cant take the heat in the rest of the house any more.

 

[lazy gardener]

Absolutely, get your house comfortable. The recommended brooder temps, are just a guide line for first time chicken brooders. If your chicks are going under the lamp to warm up, instead of avoiding it because they are too warm. If they are not spending all their time under the lamp, all is well. You DON'T want to keep your house, or even the rest of the brooder warm! Mama broody does not have control of any of the temperatures other than the space directly under her breast and belly! And her chicks are running all over the place every day, ducking under her, only as needed to warm up, then they're back out exploring again. IMO, more chicks are made sick from a brooder/lamp that is too warm than them being too cold. You might also check out Blooie's thread about Mama heating pad. Excellent brooding option. I'll never go back to a lamp again.

 

[azygous]

Ditto that on "mama heating pad" Check it out! Rig up a "chick cave" and you will never have a further moment of worry about whether your chicks are too warm or too cold.

The really critical factor about your household environment is whether the brooder is in a place where a draft from an air duct is going to be blowing on the chicks. Just make sure the brooder is located in a draft-free spot.

I'm getting new chicks next week, so I share your excitement!

 

[mamabearsin]

the vent in the bathroom is closed off for right now, I just got the rest of them this morning and they all seem to be doing well. I love listening to them cheep and watching them run around.

 

[azygous]

Well then! You're on your way to total bliss!

 

[mamabearsin]

I have a few that are kinda not doing well, i separated them from the rest so they would not get stepped on any more, and it was suggested that i give them boiled egg yolks and a bit of honey in their water. so far no change. not sure what else to do.

 

[azygous]

Watch for dehydration from being too hot, panting, constipation from the dehydration (absence of poop) and any that aren't eating. And pasty butt. These are the most common reasons for chicks taking a sudden downturn.

Start by making sure they aren't too warm. Raise the heat source a it to see if they perk up. If you have other hands on deck, set up poop watches to make sure the droopy ones are pooping and not straining without any results. Then you'll know if you need to treat for constipation.

And periodically pick each one up and inspect for clogged vents (pasty butt) and clean with a cotton ball soaked in olive oil.

For any who are not eating, try moistening the crumbles. It's also not too soon to get some Poultry Nutri-drench and dose them with it to boost their nutritional levels.

For those that don't seem to be drinking much water, take the upper hand and squeeze drops of water alongside their beaks to get their hydration up to par.

The worst thing to do is to take a "wait and see" tactic. Chicks go downhill way too fast not to do something right away.

 

[mamabearsin]

How long do we need to watch for pasty butt? everybody seems to be doing fine right now the ones I didn't think we're going to make it have made it so far. I just know that pasty butt is a main concern

 

[newmarch2014]

x2 for Azygous' post. Most pasty butt problems happen in the first 2 weeks though it can persist in some chicks for longer especially in the event of heat/humidity/food/water/ etc that is not optimum. Some suggest adding a little unfiltered Braggs vinegar with "the mother" in it to the water (one Tablespoon to a gallon of water) as a natural preventative.

 

[TRMFAM]

azygous, have you written any guides? The information I see in your posts seems more complete than the 11 guides I have read. Thank you for contributing to the forum.