Panting

[Anianna]

I find it more difficult to read guinea behavior than chicken behavior. It has been pretty warm here, so I haven't had the brooder lamp on 24/7. At night, it is getting down to about 75 where they are, though, so I go ahead and turn it on which raises the temp to about 85 in that portion of the brooder and the rest of the room to about 80. It was my understanding that guineas should be kept warmer than chicks and, at the same age (about 1 week), I was keeping chicks at 80-85 without issue. However, the guineas huddle under the brooder lamp as if cold, but they appear to be panting.

I turned the lamp off entirely. They seem fine without it. Am I misreading their behavior or am I making the right move turning the heat lamp off?

 

[PeepsCA]

1 wk old keets should have their brooder temp (at just one end) at around 85-90 degrees, but it is important that they are able to get away from the heat if they need to. If they are too hot and panting (and usually distressed by this) they will huddle together, even tho they are too warm. Keets do not have the ability to regulate their body temps until around 6 wks old.

 

[Anianna]

Quote:
That's what I don't get. There is plenty of room for them to get out of the heat, but they huddled under the lamp panting.