raising baby chicks temp question

[daystardoberman]

My shipment arrived today and I have a question.. They are in a box with shavings 4 ft by 4 ft 2 ft high. In a spare bedroom. In the rest of the house I use window units, not central a/c and this room does NOT have a window unit and the day time temp in the room is 90 maybe 95 because the window faces south so it's pretty warm in there. A standard heat lamp is too hot will raise the box temp over 115, not an option. I am using a 25 watt clear red party bulb in it and the area is right now about 85 degrees, it will stay at that temp through the night with this lamp on.( I tested it last night) I was told they have to be maintained at 95-100 degrees for the first week or so. Should I put a space heater in this room to get the temp up? they seem to be doing fine, they're not all huddled up under the light, they're doing normal chickee things, eating drinking pooping! running around investigating the box. They don't look or act stressed. nice and alert, a really nice shipment of chicks. Best advice here?

 

[farnorth]

if they are comfortable and happy and not huddling I'd say they are fine.

 

[Saphire Love]

Since at night temperatures do tend to drop I wouldn't risk it. They can pile in a corner & smash one another quickly. Adding the extra 10 degrees at night for the first ten days should be sufficient.

 

[cafarmgirl]

Chicks don't need to be constantly maintained at 90-95 degrees...they need one spot where they can go to warm up to that temp when they need to, just as they would if they were raised by a hen. The rest of their area should be cooler. For that reason do not heat up the entire room, that leaves them no escape from the constant heat. I would move these chicks to a cooler area and use a heat lamp to warm one area of their brooder, then they can warm up to the necessary temp as needed and get away from the heat source when they need to.

 

[daystardoberman]

yes that's how this box with the red lighbulb is situated, so they can go under the heat light where it's about 85-90 and they wander around the rest of the box, so I'm thinking yes they look fine aren't all huddled up, I just worry about them because the hatcheries are closing down and I'd like some nice spring chickens, these are Buff Orpintons (11) and black sex links (5) I really like the Gold sex links, but they're out. BO are my second favorite. very gentle natured. Ok no space heater. I'd feel kinda dumb using a space heater in September in Texas!