*One more dead and more dying* I need urgent help! Please dont fail me

[Chicken0Boy]

ok thank you I am going toi have to try to get a 150. That seems to fit them. Anybody else?

I am so sad.

 

[N&MSchroeder]

I am suspecting that it is too hot. Can you raise your 250 watt light until you find another one? I clamped mine on the side of a stoneware crock that was another foot above the top edge of the brooder. I have also used a saw horse. Make sure that the light doesn't shoot down the length of the brooder. It should be straight down in one area. Try that and see what happens.

 

[Chicken0Boy]

OK, so I am going to chnage the bedding and I will do the thingy with the heat lamp. Anything or anybody else?

 

[GoodLuckCharlie!]

Hi I'm new but I also have 7 - 1 week old peeps in a rubbermaid plastic storage container. I have them in the living room-the container is sitting on a blanket-the light in the lamp is a 60 watt, and the lamp is clamped to the side of a bookshelf so I can lower/raise it as needed. I have the lamp to one side of the container so they have a choice of moving towards it and moving away. This container was my incubator as well and so I had 2 cutouts on the lid for the glass-which is off now so we can easily reach into the container if needed and it gives them air flow without a draft. I have a blanket over one half of the tub lid during 3/4 of the day unless the sun isn't shining-room temp is about 73. The thermometer reads around 90 except when I take off the blanket and lid to change out the shavings, water and food then the temp is down to about 80. Sounds like a similar setup so I hope that helps. Other than a couple vent problems they seem to be doing very well and happy-if that helps to know since I have the 60 watt bulb. I didn't know people used a 150 watt-must've skipped that in the 'first 60 days reading' on this site. It was really helpful reading though. Good luck. I lost 6 during hatching-knowing what to do doesn't always help in the doing part of it...but it is great there are so many people on this forum with great advice.

 

[bowtie]

Bulb wattage is irrelevant, you need a thermometer to monitor temp, which should be about 90 degrees...

 

[CCourson05]

I just go by what the chicks are doing... If they are all huddled up under the light, they are too cold. If they are all huddled up in the far end away from the light, they are too hot... If they are everywhere, that is perfect!

 

[acy0029]

Gro Gel is only supposed to be used when you first receive your chicks it's not for continual use. I would stop using it and use just plain water or a water/electrolyte mix. chicks can overdose on electrolyte's.

 

[JackE]

Sounds to me like he is COOKING these chicks. Using a 250W heatbulb over a small brooder like that. I had a 250W, I had to hang it almost 3ft above the floor of the brooder, so it would not get too hot. I bet the chick was gasping for breath. Get a THERMOMETER man, And see where the temp is. And stop with the aditives to the water. Just fresh cool, NOT cold, water everyday. And did I read it right, You have/had 18 chicks in that small rubbermade container. I bought 18 chicks this spring, I had them in a brooder I built that measured out at 4X5 FOOT, And that was looking kinda small when I took them out and moved them to the big house. Once you get your temp. under control, you better start building a new and BIGGER brooder.
Jack

 

[Anianna]

Definitely get a thermometer so you have a better idea of temps in your brooder. Watching the chicks behavior is good, but if you think they may be sick, it might be hard to tell the difference between their response to temps and them being sick, so knowing what the temp is in there is ideal. You can get an inexpensive thermometer designed to be hung on a window at garden stores or feed stores and that will work.

Perhaps I misunderstood a previous post, but I would not recommend laying a blanket over a lamp. That's a fire hazard. If you are using too small a bulb and cannot get something warmer, tent some foil over it as a temporary solution until you can get a better sized bulb. For a small brooder, you can get smaller heat lamps in the reptile section at most pet stores.

As JackE mentioned, your chicks will grow and the plastic bin is only good for a few weeks with so many chicks. Ideally, you should have at least one square foot of space per chick if you plan on keeping them in there until they are ready to move out. Even that will get crowded in the last couple of weeks before they are fully feathered.

 

[KKatknap]

Did you change out your heat lamp? Has it helped?