New pullets, need advise?

[Alley]

I just bought two pullets at the feed store today. I brought them home and put them in a dog crate. The problem is, I think they're cold. I have them in the garage where it's warm (75 degrees) but how warm should they be? I have a heat lamp but I don't want to make them hot. What is the proper temperature for week old chicks?

Thanks!

 

[golden comets]

95 degrees the first week and drop 5 degrees everyweek after that,keep them out of drafts.Put a heat lamp in there and if its to warm they will move away from it to a cooler place

 

[Alley]

Thank you, I had read it should be 95 degrees but that seemed so... hot to me. I put the lamp on them and I plan on bringing them into the house at night. What would you use for bedding? I tried newspaper but they tried to eat it...

 

[golden comets]

Use paper towels,new paper is to sleppery on there feet and legs,when they are a liitle older you can use pine shvings.

 

[Judy]

95 might be a little warm; they will tell you, by whether they huddle under the light for warmth or move as far away as they can if too hot.

They have to learn what is food. Might put a little food on the paper towels. That's why pine shavings can be a problem at first. Once they learn that the food is in the feeder or your hand, pine shavings are fine. They have to learn to drink, too. Dip the tip of the beak into water til they get the idea.

Great info here:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/raising-chickens-basics.php

You can leave them in the garage if you monitor them for warmth.

 

[Alley]

They are eating and drinking and tearing up the newspaper I put in there. They are wild, they peck at each other and beat each other up! LOL Is this normal?