New Chicks - 10 days old

[RedRibbons]

So our 3 10-day-old chicks had a rough start getting home. We probably had their box overheated (with a hot water bottle and car heat on) and their water spilled during the 1.5 hour drive.

Since getting home and into the brooder bin we've been trying to figure out if they are getting comfortable in the bin brooder.

Temp in the brooder about 75-80 degrees.

One chick was panting a bit and lifting it's feathers, and the other two seem comfortable.

With a 100 watt lamp on, 4 feet away, it was 75-80 and the birds seem to be trying to be away from it, they were panting and lifting their wings.

With lamp off, it's heading towards 70 degrees. No more panting and they aren't very close together while sleeping.

Are they all perhaps dehydrated? They are napping (apparently) two together and one apart. How do you tell if they are comfortable if they are asleep?

Should the lamp be on, but further than 4 feet away from the bin? I am worried now about going from too hot and dehydrated to too cold - air about 70 degrees.

 

[aveca]

Is your brooder big enough that they can move away from the heat source? If they have enough room they will move to where they are comfortable..they move toward the warmth when they need to and away when they need to..sounds like they are too warm by the panting and wings up..some breeds are quite comfortable in cooler conditions...