new to chicks, couple quick questions!

[cupman]

Hello, I'm new to raising chicks, never have done it before, I just bought 12 on Tuesday and they are doing well, happy little guys. So here's my questions:

1) I just bought 2 more chicks, they're kind of small, maybe 60% the size of the ones I got Tuesday, do I need to worry about the others hurting them? I watched for about 10 minutes and it seemed okay, but I'm still unsure.
2) What is the purpose of the red heat bulbs? I bought red because I was told it's better but I'm unsure why.
3) What temperatures should it be inside my brooder? Right now it sits at around 76-78 degrees.

Thanks.

 

[gumpsgirl]

First off, welcome to the wonderful world of chicks/chickens and welcome to BYC!

Second, if you've watched and the new chicks seem like they are doing well and not being picked on then they should do fine in the brooder with the other chicks.

Third, the red bulb is better due to the fact that it helps prevent the chicks from pecking eachother. They seem to peck moving eyelids and toes much less under a red bulb than they do under a white one. For that reason alone they are better to use.

The brooder temp. should be around 100 degrees. Some folks use thermometers in their brooder to check the temp. (I used to), but as for me, I let the chicks decide what is comfortable to them. If they are huddled together under the heat lamp, they are to cold. If they are huddled together away from the heat lamp, they are to hot. If they are spread out through out the brooder, the temperature is perfect!

I hope that helps!

 

[jaydweight]

If your chicks are just a couple days old the temp should be around 90degrees and then drop it five degrees each week after that.

I've heard that the red heat lamp cuts down on chicks pecking at each other, I've had white, and didn't have any pecking going on. If your chicks seem happy they should be happy.

Good luck with them. It's been fun.

 

[smallcitychick]

1) What's the age difference? Were the ones you bought on tuesday a week old, or were they new little fluff balls? Is it possible that the new chicks you bought are bantams? (Bantams will always be smaller than full size chicks) I say to keep your eye on them, but if they are really close in age they will probably be fine

2) red is supposed to help reduce any agression (for some reason, chicks with the white/yellow lights experience more problems with cannebalism, feather picking, etc...so the red light is supposed to help that)

3) temp depends on their age and their behavior. Newborn chicks need about 90-95 degrees in their brooder, then you can lower by 5 degrees for each week old they are. BUT, watch their behavior and use that as an indicator more than the actual readable temp. If they are all huddled together under the light that means it's a little to cold and lower the light, closer to the brooder floor. If they are all spread out, in the corners of your brooder, staying as far away from the light as they can, maybe even heavy breathing/panting, then it's definately too warm and raise the light.

 

[cupman]

I put some blankets over my brooder to help trap the heat in and hopefully raise the heat level. Thanks for the tips, guys.

 

[gumpsgirl]

Be careful that the blankets down't touch the heatlamp as they could catch fire. The best bet is to move the brooder to a draft free spot, if it isn't already, and lower the heat lamp if they are to cold.