New day old chicks

[ReiK]

Hi!

3 out of the 6eggs i tried to let poultry supply incubate hatched May 16/17. This is my second time to raise baby chicks without the hen. My brooder space is quite big but they are only 3. It is about a 2ft x 2ft dimension. I have used 25watts light bulb for there heat source placed in the middle. They usually go to sides but huddle together. They sleep most of the time. Is it really normal that they sleep most of the time? They drink and eat but majority is sleep. I use the container cup as their feeder, is it okay? And their floor is of shelf liner. Sometimes they have watery stool but some are normal. I place pinch of vitminpro in their water.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Do you have a thermometer so you can find out how hot it is in there?

Also a 2x2' brooder is pretty small - chicks need heat but also a cooler area to get away from heat, and 4 sq ft isn't enough to allow that. Heat should be placed on one side so part of the brooder is warm, while the rest of the brooder is 10F or more cooler than the warm side.

 

[ReiK]

Do you have a thermometer so you can find out how hot it is in there?

Also a 2x2' brooder is pretty small - chicks need heat but also a cooler area to get away from heat, and 4 sq ft isn't enough to allow that. Heat should be placed on one side so part of the brooder is warm, while the rest of the brooder is 10F or more cooler than the warm side.

I don't have a thermometer. Will the chicks still find their way when placed in a bigger area? It is actually a big cage but because they are only 3 chicks and i am afraid they might get cold if placed in a bigger area where they might venture far from heat source. I used a 25watts bulb. I can open up the partition and it will be a 5ft length by 2feet wide rectangular cage.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I don't have a thermometer. Will the chicks still find their way when placed in a bigger area? It is actually a big cage but because they are only 3 chicks and i am afraid they might get cold if placed in a bigger area where they might venture far from heat source. I used a 25watts bulb. I can open up the partition and it will be a 5ft length by 2feet wide rectangular cage.

They will learn where to go if they need to be warm, and where to go for food and water. I usually get 3-4 chicks at a time. My brooder is a little bigger than 2'x4' but I use a heating pad for warmth, so the rest of the brooder is ambient outdoor air temperature. I put the chicks under the heating pad and they learn very quickly to go back to the heating pad when they want to nap and stay warm, otherwise they're eating and drinking and exploring away from the heat.

 

[ReiK]

They will learn where to go if they need to be warm, and where to go for food and water. I usually get 3-4 chicks at a time. My brooder is a little bigger than 2'x4' but I use a heating pad for warmth, so the rest of the brooder is ambient outdoor air temperature. I put the chicks under the heating pad and they learn very quickly to go back to the heating pad when they want to nap and stay warm, otherwise they're eating and drinking and exploring away from the heat.

Can i take a look at your heating pad? I'd love that. I think i can purchase a heating pad. But how about their light? I am having trouble on how do i adjust their lighting. Usually it is easy for me when they are raised by their mother hen.

 

[Ted_Harrell]

Check the temperature in there, don't get it too hot, that is just as bad as too cold. Good luck...

 

[ReiK]

Check the temperature in there, don't get it too hot, that is just as bad as too cold. Good luck...

I have been checking regularly if they pant or spread out their wings, but they still lay down side by side sleeping. Not sure if it is a good sign that they are at the right temperature. They don't usually stay right under the heat also. They go around sleeping in different sides of their cages but always together side by side. I have placed the 25watts bulb on just one side of the cage and tried having my hand feel the temp inside, half became warm near the bulb, half became the normal environment temp. Sometimes they sleep on the side near the bulb, sometimes they sleep on the side far from the bulb.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Can i take a look at your heating pad? I'd love that. I think i can purchase a heating pad. But how about their light? I am having trouble on how do i adjust their lighting. Usually it is easy for me when they are raised by their mother hen.

My version of the mama heating pad is about halfway down the article:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/short-on-time-recycle-a-prefab-brooder.73985/

As far as adjusting a heat lamp, the two ways to do it are to raise/lower the lamp, and to swap out bulbs to increase/decrease heat. A combination of the two may be necessary in some set ups.

I have been checking regularly if they pant or spread out their wings, but they still lay down side by side sleeping. Not sure if it is a good sign that they are at the right temperature. They don't usually stay right under the heat also. They go around sleeping in different sides of their cages but always together side by side. I have placed the 25watts bulb on just one side of the cage and tried having my hand feel the temp inside, half became warm near the bulb, half became the normal environment temp. Sometimes they sleep on the side near the bulb, sometimes they sleep on the side far from the bulb.

That sounds pretty good as far as temperature. Ideally the chicks should never spend the entire time under the heat, or completely away from it, but somewhere in between.

 

[saysfaa]

Can i take a look at your heating pad? I'd love that. I think i can purchase a heating pad. ...

Check that it doesn't have an automatic shut off if you don't want to go turn it back on every 2 hours.

 

[ReiK]

My version of the mama heating pad is about halfway down the article:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/short-on-time-recycle-a-prefab-brooder.73985/

As far as adjusting a heat lamp, the two ways to do it are to raise/lower the lamp, and to swap out bulbs to increase/decrease heat. A combination of the two may be necessary in some set ups.


That sounds pretty good as far as temperature. Ideally the chicks should never spend the entire time under the heat, or completely away from it, but somewhere in between.

I checked the mama heating pad. I might not be able to diy that. But i saw that others use ceramic reptile heating lamp which only emits heat no light, would it be better? I am just currently using the 25watts but am concern that they will not be on a normal daylight. (Which is also one of my problem with my other 3months old chicken wherein they got used to light at night). My brooding cage is somewhat enclosed. Wherein if no light inside the cage then it is really dark. Attached is a photo of my brooding cage taken on my previous batch of chicks: (the chicks are in the smaller window due to prevention of wind draft; the green screen separation inside is already removed.) I plan to open the mid partition when they reach a week old so they will have both cage space.