OK, Can't rebuild, what are my options (Realistic Please)

[aart]

Excellent!!

 

[Buckeye2002]

Ok, firstly THANK YOU ALL for the support and patience.
So the coop is ready for the chicks. I put 2 heat lamps in and I went out last night and early this morning. It got down in the teens last night but the temp gauge was steady at 50. The chicks seem pretty feathered out, a few still have down on the neck and head. Can they be moved to the coop with these facts?

 

[aart]

It got down in the teens last night but the temp gauge was steady at 50. The chicks seem pretty feathered out, a few still have down on the neck and head. Can they be moved to the coop with these facts?

Where is this temp gauge?
Where are they living now...and what is the ambient temp of the room they are in??



Reposting my chick heat blurb...hopefully that will guide you.

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'. If you do use a heat bulb make sure it's specifically for poultry, some heat bulbs for food have teflon coatings that can kill birds. 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.

 

[Buckeye2002]

Where is this temp gauge?
Where are they living now...and what is the ambient temp of the room they are in??



Reposting my chick heat blurb...hopefully that will guide you.

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'. If you do use a heat bulb make sure it's specifically for poultry, some heat bulbs for food have teflon coatings that can kill birds. 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.

Chicks are almost 4 weeks, I have been keeping them in my garage and the temp has been between 70-80, but the last couple of days I removed the lamp and put a space heater near their brooder and the temp has been steady between 60-70 and they seem to be doing ok. The temp gauge in the coop was on the floor between the lamps. I haven’t put in pine shavings yet, no sure if that helps or not.

 

[aart]

Chicks are almost 4 weeks, I have been keeping them in my garage and the temp has been between 70-80, but the last couple of days I removed the lamp and put a space heater near their brooder and the temp has been steady between 60-70 and they seem to be doing ok. The temp gauge in the coop was on the floor between the lamps. I haven’t put in pine shavings yet, no sure if that helps or not.

I would try to replicate what you're going to use in the coop,
same ambient temp and same lamp height set up,
in the garage for a few days at least so you can watch their behavior.

 

[Buckeye2002]

I would try to replicate what you're going to use in the coop,
same ambient temp and same lamp height set up,
in the garage for a few days at least so you can watch their behavior.

What should I look for that is a negative response?

 

[aart]

What should I look for that is a negative response?

Distress cheeping and piling under the lamp....
..also did you read my 'chick heat' blurb??
There's lots of info in there.

 

[Buckeye2002]

I did. I took the heat lamp out of the brooder last night and place a space heater just outside the brooder. They are sleeping all snuggled together, but in the exact place they have always slept (which was directly under the lamp). They are quiet and is actually on the opposite side of the brooder space as the current heater is. Thoughts?

 

[Buckeye2002]

THE GIRLS HAVE BEEN MOVED!!!

 

[rosemarythyme]

THE GIRLS HAVE BEEN MOVED!!

Awesome! Must feel great to have them out there now.

Also you might want to cover the nest boxes with cardboard or something, if they end up sitting in them. It may or may not be an issue (my chicks stayed out of them). If you do have to cover them, uncover them once they get older and closer to laying.