Newbie questions

[lazy gardener]

I read a lot of people angle them.....so one side is a little higher. Is that a smart thing to do?

Yes, that allows the chicks to choose their comfort level.

 

[bobbi-j]

Ok great. Thank you everyone for help!!!! Sorry for my ignorance I'm really trying to learn I have a few books which help but a person's knowledge is so much better!

Don't apologize for asking questions. Better to ask now than post in a few more days asking why your chicks are dying. You're doing a great job.

 

[Chad Oftedal]

Hey all this is really close to what you are talking about. My boss uses this and he likes it thoughts??

I'm a first time chick Dad this year, and that's what I went with. I have 8 chicks, and I went with the medium size (good for up to 30 chicks). The ratings on them for numbers of chicks really only seem to apply to very young chicks. My 8 at 4 weeks old now can still all fit under it just fine, but by the time they are ready to move out to the coop in hopefully a few weeks, I would be surprised if they all fit. The price difference was trivial (less than $10) to go the next size up, and in my research, lots of folks said to go big on them. I'm really glad I did.

Yes, I set the front legs to be higher than the back legs. Again, this was recommended a lot in posts that I saw while researching them. On the day that I brought my chicks home, I turned it on so it would be warm and ready when I returned. I got back home with the chicks, unloaded them into the brooder box, and they all just kind of stood there for a few seconds. Then, one of them looked over at the heat plate that was a few feet away, and started walking right at it. The others started following within seconds. They went underneath it, formed a little pile, and went to sleep. They were 1 week old when I got them. They had no hesitation in using it, and for my first time with chicks, I couldn't be happier. There are lots of great options being suggested here on the thread, and you couldn't go wrong with any of them. For me, the heat plate has worked really well. I also got the cover for it, and that was a good idea. They definitely try to get up on top of it, and would leave poo on it. I'm sure it's not the worst to clean off, but one less thing to hassel with for me is nice. I find that I am raising it up a little bit about every 4 or 5 days. The little buggers grow fast. Everyone tells you that, but until you see it in person, it seems hard to believe.

 

[Hulk4583]

Hey all ok I have the temp constant and 96 and 97.....is that still too warm???? I can adjust it if I need too. I get the chicks tomorrow I'm soooooo excited!

 

[aart]

Hey all ok I have the temp constant and 96 and 97.....is that still too warm???? I can adjust it if I need too. I get the chicks tomorrow I'm soooooo excited!

Using the heat lamp, 96-97F on the floor directly below it...in the little coop?
Not a bad place to start...might be a tad warm.
Did you also measure the temp on the brooder floor at the other end of the space?

Reposting my chick heat notes:

They need to be pretty warm(~85-90F on the brooder floor right under the lamp and 10-20 degrees cooler at the other end of brooder) for the first day or two, especially if they have been shipped, until they get to eating, drinking and moving around well. But after that it's best to keep them as cool as possible for optimal feather growth and quicker acclimation to outside temps. A lot of chick illnesses are attributed to too warm of a brooder. I do think it's a good idea to use a thermometer on the floor of the brooder to check the temps, especially when new at brooding, later I still use it but more out of curiosity than need.

The best indicator of heat levels is to watch their behavior:
If they are huddled/piled up right under the lamp and cheeping very loudly, they are too cold.
If they are spread out on the absolute edges of the brooder as far from the lamp as possible, panting and/or cheeping very loudly, they are too hot.
If they sleep around the edge of the lamp calmly just next to each other and spend time running all around the brooder they are juuuust right!

The lamp is best at one end of the brooder with food/water at the other cooler end of the brooder, so they can get away from the heat or be under it as needed. Wattage of 'heat' bulb depends on size of brooder and ambient temperature of room brooder is in. Regular incandescent bulbs can be used, you might not need a 'heat bulb'. You can get red colored incandescent bulbs at a reptile supply source. A dimmer extension cord is an excellent way to adjust the output of the bulb to change the heat without changing the height of the lamp.

Or you could go with a heat plate, commercially made or DIY: http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/pseudo-brooder-heater-plate

 

[Hulk4583]

Hey all got 6 chicks!! Love them!!! Temp has been 93- 95 so that's great! Here is a pic. 3 Easter Eggers 3 barred

 

[Hulk4583]

 

[Hulk4583]

Next question is where do I get a polish, Langshan, and my wife likes silkies