Newbie help 1 dead and the rest are quiet?

[lisahaschickens]

It is easier to regulate the temperature if the brooder is in the house for the first week or two... then the bigger fluctuations of outside aren't as risky as long as they still have the lamps.

Also, I highly suggest using white/pine shavings (not cedar) instead of newspaper. Newspaper is slippery and can cause leg problems and is usually recommended against. Shavings are easy and they absorb the droppings nicely and help minimize the smell, mess, and cleanup. Just put papertowels (not as slippery as newspaper) on top of the shavings and sprinkle crumbles on them for a day or two and they'll get the hang of eating and then you can remove the towels and they will just use the feeders.

If you are interested in my brooder setup, please check out my blog (link is in my signature below). I have lots of pics and info if you check the posts from February 9th forward.

Good luck to you!

 

[Chicken Fruit]

Chicks are newborns, just like newborn anythings they sleep most of the time. And when they sleep, theyre quiet!

Chicks die, its a normal thing- especially with the stress of coming from the hatchery, and then sitting in a store, and then coming home. Theyre exposed to sooo much during that time.

Dont worry about it, you're doing a great job.

They only need sugar in the water for the first watering once theyre home, they can have regular water after that.

 

[Peaguy]

Rather than sugar water, I have had great success with Gatorade mixed at 1/2 strength with just a squirt of Poly-Vi-Sol. for the first few weeks (2-3 depending on how well they grow)
Here is the mix I use for the quart waterer they use,
Using the 1lb 2.4oz tub of Gatorade powder mix (Each different size mix container has it's own DIFFERENT sized scoop)
I use 1 scoop mix and one half dropper of Poly Vi Sol
It really doesn't take much of either one. Don't go crazy.
(no "if a little is good a lot must be better" thinking allowed here)
I am currently using this mix for my new batch
4 Buff Orpingtons
5 Brown Leghorns
11 Easter Eggers ( one sadly with a little bit of a cross-beak we are watching very closely but she is doing well so far!)

One Black Australorp????

One Minorca????

All Pullets except the little Minorca??? We're pretty sure we got one if not two roos.

ETA OOPS!! Recipe courtesy of Rooster Red!!! Thanks again Red!!! A bazillion times over!!!
Also I use the Orange flavor Gatorade mix. They really seem to like it! (Thanks again RED!)

Oh my bad! ....
ETA

Some days I just have no manners!!! Sheesh!

 

[tomary98]

Thanks everybody.
I do have paper towels over the newspaper down for them.
They are in the house but in an unheated area. I have the light on one side of the brooder, and they seem to be hanging out on that end, so I'm guessing the temp is close to right? but there is some poop on the other end also so somebody has gotten brave and made it all of 1.5 ft away.
Ok about the yogurt this may be really stupid but I have some strawberry flavored in the fridge would that be ok or should it be plain?

 

[lisahaschickens]

just plain.. the strawberries are fine but it's the sugar and other stuff that you don't really want to give them when they're this young as it could possibly perpetuate loose droppings and pasty butt. But they DO love yogurt.

Also, if the temp is correct, they will spread out all around the brooder and choose their happy spots and mills around happily. It there anyway for you to hang the light more toward the middle?

 

[Akane]

actually it sounds like they are too hot to me.
days 1-3 95 degrees
day 4 93.2 degrees
day 7 86 degrees
day 14 77 degrees
day 21 71.6 degrees
day 28 68 degrees
day 35+ 64.4 degrees

I think those temps are a bit low. Where'd you get them? Usually the quoted temps are about 95F the first week and drop 5F every week after that so they'd still be at 90 from 7-14days and 85 from 14-21days.

Any numbers given for certain ages are averages. I've had several hatches that were quite unhappy unless the temp in their brooder was 100F directly under the bulb for the first couple days. The chicks should tell you if they are hot or cold. If they are all in the center of the light it's bordering on too cold and if they are shoving and piling on each other it is definitely too cold. If they lay in a ring around the center of the light then they are finding the perfect temp and the brooder is fine. If they avoid the light and shove against the sides to get away from it then they are too warm.

Quiet so long as they are at least occasionally active (they do sleep alot) and eating and drinking is just fine. Loud peeping means something is wrong but that could be too hot, too cold, thirsty, hungry, etc... It's like a baby crying. Something is wrong but you have to figure out what. Chicks are a little more self sufficient than you think though. If you give them a temperature gradient with it being slightly too warm under the center of the light and slightly too cool at the far end from the light they will find the perfect place in between on their own and regulate their own temp just fine.​

 

[Bullwinkle]

Quote:
Yes, all the books/posts I have read say the same thing: start at 95 degrees and drop the temp 5 degrees each week:
Week 1: 95 degrees
Week 2: 90 degrees
Week 3: 85
"
"
The temp above should be in the brooder under the light. Be sure the chicks can move away to a cooler area. The chicks should self-regulate.

 

[Judy]

Quote:
Yes, all the books/posts I have read say the same thing: start at 95 degrees and drop the temp 5 degrees each week:
Week 1: 95 degrees
Week 2: 90 degrees
Week 3: 85
"
"
The temp above should be in the brooder under the light. Be sure the chicks can move away to a cooler area. The chicks should self-regulate.

I agree that I've only seen the higher ones published, but my experience has been that they are too high, esp. after maybe 4-5 days. I would also love to know where kif73 found those numbers, if only because I figure it might be a good resource for other things.

Mine have been in the coop since 3 weeks with a heat lamp only at night. I felt they were too warm during the day without heat in the spare bedroom at 3 weeks. Most now sleep somewhere near the heat lamp but not under it; born around 2/21.

 

[klf73]

Quote:
Yes, all the books/posts I have read say the same thing: start at 95 degrees and drop the temp 5 degrees each week:
Week 1: 95 degrees
Week 2: 90 degrees
Week 3: 85
"
"
The temp above should be in the brooder under the light. Be sure the chicks can move away to a cooler area. The chicks should self-regulate.

I agree that I've only seen the higher ones published, but my experience has been that they are too high, esp. after maybe 4-5 days. I would also love to know where kif73 found those numbers, if only because I figure it might be a good resource for other things.

Mine have been in the coop since 3 weeks with a heat lamp only at night. I felt they were too warm during the day without heat in the spare bedroom at 3 weeks. Most now sleep somewhere near the heat lamp but not under it; born around 2/21.

I had the link saved on my other computer, but will see if I can find it.....

 

[klf73]

Brooding Temperature Schedule
Age, days Brooder temperature
°F
Summer Winter
1-7 90 to 95
8-14 85 to 90
5-21 80 to 85
22-28 75 to 80
29-35 70 to 75
36 to market 70
this chart came from http://www.msstate.edu/dept/poultry/faq-ans1.htm
and it does say the other one I had is low, but still not as high as some others I have seen. The other one I had was before I found BYC and I copied it, will take me a few to see if I can find it....
Never really mattered to me because I have a huge brooder and the hottest spot is 95 and I start to raise the light higher when all the chicks stay away from it.
I will keep looking...