hi all! So im getting 3 easter eggers and 2 barred.... are these two good breeds? Im getting all hens right now as well. I pick the chicks uo this Saturday. So i have my coop all setup and been monitoring temperature... it runs 97-100. Is that too warm? It is as hugh as it will go inside my coop.. also i read when i get the chicks dip their beaks into the water and food... as well as put augar in the water. Is all of this correct?? Also is there a best feed? Thank you all.
Newbie questions
- Thread starter Hulk4583
- Start date
Welcome to the wacky world of chickens lol. Are these chicks you are getting? If so, keep the brooder a bit cooler, 90-95, you will lessen this weekly as they grow their feathers in. You can tell if they are too warm or too cool by how they act. If they are all scrunched up under the heat source, it is cool. If they are as far from the heat source as possible, it's too hot.
Dip their beaks in the water a time or two, same with food. This is so they will know where the water and food are. Sometimes they need showing a couple of times, so just make sure they all drink. I wouldn't put sugar in their water unless they are very lethargic when you get them. An active chirping chick doesn't need it.
As far as food goes, you need chick starter. Usually start with crumbles. Also, check out the fermenting feed threads, this makes less mess, makes more nutrition available from the feed, lessens the need for water intake and makes the poo smell less. Most chick starters are about the same, just make sure it is 20% protein at least.
Dip their beaks in the water a time or two, same with food. This is so they will know where the water and food are. Sometimes they need showing a couple of times, so just make sure they all drink. I wouldn't put sugar in their water unless they are very lethargic when you get them. An active chirping chick doesn't need it.
As far as food goes, you need chick starter. Usually start with crumbles. Also, check out the fermenting feed threads, this makes less mess, makes more nutrition available from the feed, lessens the need for water intake and makes the poo smell less. Most chick starters are about the same, just make sure it is 20% protein at least.
Joeschooks
Just clucking around
I agree with all what Foster’s has said. Yes, please do go a little bit cooler than 97-100 for the brooder, but how the chicks react will be the best indicator. Best of luck.
PachecoPeeps
Songster
Congrats on the new babies. Keep us updated and let us know if you have any other questions or need help with anything else.
- Thread starter
- #5
Hi so i have the heat lamp at the very top of the coop... im not sure how to get it cooler. But the temp obviously drops a little ways away from the lamp.... i have been messing with it all day and not sure how to get it cooler directly under the lamp. It is currently 96 degrees. And as far as breeds go are easter eggers and barred a good choice?
PachecoPeeps
Songster
You will get pretty eggs from the easters. They can be flighty and more stand offish but many folks on here say they are their favorite breed. I have loved the barred that I have had. Very friendly but usually low on the pecking order. Your chickens will be more friendly to you when they are older if you spend time with them as chicks. Try and get them used to being picked up so when they are older it's easier to handle them (especially if you need to pick them up to help them with something)
TheTwoRoos
Crowing
- Sep 25, 2015
- 4,368
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Both great breeds have both.
I wouldn’t keep the temp but maybe eighty,chicks can get heated quickly.
You also may want to leave a shady area for them to run to to get away from heat keep food and water in between both shady and warm area so they should be able to get a drink one one side being shade and other side of feeder and waterer being heat.So if they wanna sit and have a warm breakfast they can go around to other side while if they wanna have a cool breakfast they can go to the other side.
Sugar isn’t necessarily needed,just mix their water with electrolytes and probiotics.
I use medicated chick feed and by three months their eating adult feed or sometimes until I run out of medicated.If you don’t like medicated,use all flock CHICK feed,make sure it is for baby chicks and not adults.
I wouldn’t keep the temp but maybe eighty,chicks can get heated quickly.
You also may want to leave a shady area for them to run to to get away from heat keep food and water in between both shady and warm area so they should be able to get a drink one one side being shade and other side of feeder and waterer being heat.So if they wanna sit and have a warm breakfast they can go around to other side while if they wanna have a cool breakfast they can go to the other side.
Sugar isn’t necessarily needed,just mix their water with electrolytes and probiotics.
I use medicated chick feed and by three months their eating adult feed or sometimes until I run out of medicated.If you don’t like medicated,use all flock CHICK feed,make sure it is for baby chicks and not adults.
I would encourage you to consider usong a nonlight based heat source.....a brooder plate, mama heat pad, etc.....or use a lower wattage light which will produce less heat.
They need a cooler spot too.
Where are you measuring the temp?
Should measure on the floor directly under the light.
Here's my notes on chick heat, hope something in there might help:
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
Where are you measuring the temp?
Should measure on the floor directly under the light.
Here's my notes on chick heat, hope something in there might help:
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
- Thread starter
- #10
Hey all a few more questions. So my heat lamp, I can't get it real constant...... it drops down to the low 90's at night and 115 during the day... will that be ok? I assumed they wouldn't stay right under the lamp if it's that hot I have the lamp as high as it can go in the coop also this is the food I got for the chicks...is it ok???
Last edited:
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