New to chickens!!

[Renee572]

Hello everyone,

We decided to go in on the chickens together with our neighbors who are our really good friends. We have been talking about doing this for a long while now and have finally just did it. We got our 2 week old chicks yesterday. Our 6 kiddos are so excited, and we are too. We live in AZ and I have a question about the brooder and heat lamp. We had the chicks in our garage last night but decided to move them to the back porch during the day. It is already reaching in the 90s during the day here so is it necessary to still keep the heat lamp on them at 2 weeks old? I ask because I noticed them all huddled in the opposite corner so I don't want them to be too hot. I turned the heat lamp off and they all seem to be walking all around now. We got 5 chicks but we are not 100% sure about the breeds of all of them. We are sure we have 1 Rhode Island Red, 1 Australorp, we believe we have a Buff Orpington and 2 Barred Rocks.

 

[cackleberrycam]

How fun! Welcome to Backyard Chickens!

I am glad you joined us!

 

[cackleberrycam]

About your question: If they are frequently going to the opposite side of the brooder then they are too hot, so raise the heat lamp higher. When they are happily running around the brooder then you know that the temperature is right. If they start to huddle close under the lamp then it is too cold and you should lower it. Another thing you can do is to give them warm and cool zones - Even if the temperature is right they may still eventual get to hot/cold and need a change.

 

[red horse ranch]

Hello everyone,

We decided to go in on the chickens together with our neighbors who are our really good friends. We have been talking about doing this for a long while now and have finally just did it. We got our 2 week old chicks yesterday. Our 6 kiddos are so excited, and we are too. We live in AZ and I have a question about the brooder and heat lamp. We had the chicks in our garage last night but decided to move them to the back porch during the day. It is already reaching in the 90s during the day here so is it necessary to still keep the heat lamp on them at 2 weeks old? I ask because I noticed them all huddled in the opposite corner so I don't want them to be too hot. I turned the heat lamp off and they all seem to be walking all around now. We got 5 chicks but we are not 100% sure about the breeds of all of them. We are sure we have 1 Rhode Island Red, 1 Australorp, we believe we have a Buff Orpington and 2 Barred Rocks.

Welcome to BYC!

Glad you're enjoying your new family members. And they will be pets if the kids have anything to do about it.
If your temps are in the 90's thru the day you need to be careful that the chicks don't overheat. A two week old chick only needs 85 degrees. They should have the heat lamp at night tho. Make sure the chicks have shade and adequate ventilation thru the day but not be in a draft.
Have fun!

 

[cackleberrycam]

Yes, have fun!!!

 

[Renee572]

Thanks! I have left the heat lamp off during the day when the temp has been over 85 and I put it back on as soon as it starts cooling off. All 5 seem to be very happy with this. They have been walking all around, trying to fly, and eating and drinking well. My daughter who is 5 cannot get enough of these chicks, she begs me all day to go and hold them. We may live in the city but I think her and I are country girls at heart!!

 

[Chickenman2000X]

If the chicks huddle under the heat lamp their cold if they huddle in one corner than it's drafty if they huddle as far away from the heat lamp as they can than their hot. P.S. Buff orpingtons are great chickens.

 

[Renee572]

Thanks chickenman.... My neighbor and I let our 5 big kids choose the chicks they wanted, I was really trying to get a few more of them to go for the orpingtons but pretty much each one of them wanted a different breed so we only ended up with 1. She is the biggest one of all 5 that we got. We are crossing fingers (and maybe toes too) that we ended up with 5 hens because we are not allowed to have any roosters according to our HOA. The kids already named them so I think we'd have some devastated kids if we end up with a rooster.

 

[Chickenman2000X]

buff orpingtons are a fair sized chickens so hopefully it's a hen plus their duel purpose chicken so they grow fast.