Preventing Day-Olds from climbing on top of each other when sleeping.

[johnscalido]

I have recently encounted a problem. I find that every night my day-olds and evens older chicks (up to 4 weeks and older) tend to huddle into one corner and climb on top of each other to keep warm I suppose. The next morning when I arrive I find that some of the chicks at the bottom are all dead. I have found up to 7 at one stage. Is this because the chicks on top are crushing those at the bottom. I have been told to round off all my corners in order to prevent this pile up. Does anyone have a remedy.

 

[MeatKing]

I'm so sorry for your lossses. WE always have rounded edges in brooder area. We just take a cardboard box, open it all the way up. Then make a round fence with it, usually it's the stapple gun, onto the outside walls of the coop. Make it so the box, is not used under them, just around them. We've never, knock on wood had any losses because of pilling. If there's no corners, no one will get stuck and sufacate to death.

 

[danischi24]

They are huddling for a reason...they are too cold. You need to put a lamp in there with them at night. No more huddling problems.

 

[johnscalido]

I have a 250 watt infra red lamp in there.

 

[orionburn]

Have you tried putting a thermometer in there to see what the temp near the lamp actually is? Is the lamp located near the corner?

You could do a couple of things - put another lamp in at the opposite end of your brooder, or take another light and set up a separate brooder and split the chicks up.

 

[sharol]

Are they huddling up near the light or away from the light?

 

[johnscalido]

away from the light. Admittedly there was a very cold night and I think that could have been the problem.

 

[math ace]

It may be too hot under the light and they are trying to get away from the light.

You need to measure the temp under the light and where they are huddling.

If it is way hot under the light - - - then raise the light.

 

[greenfamilyfarms]

Try putting a divider up in the brooder, if possible. This will keep the group separated and prevent your problem.

 

[33yardbirds]

Hang your light about 24" above your chiks for a start, if avoiding it raise 6" at a time until they find it comfortable. Pileing means they're cold. You want them snuggleing next to each other as they rest and they should be running all over the brooder. I hang mine centered over the brooder and watch the chicks behavior. I also use a circular brooder which does away with corners for them to pile in. I use 24" aluminum coil stock because I can increase brooder size as they grow. Regular aluminum flashing is to flimsy. So far I haven't lost any from any batch of dayolds. Good Luck with your chicks, one loss is disheartning, don't quit. Also I only start my chiks in March. I have no exsperience with summer brooding though.