REALLY NEED HELP FOR THIS ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!18 died

[1st timer]

I would put them inside but I am worried if one of the heat lamps fall and breaks that it would catch fire to the shavings causing my house to catch fire. Yes a little over worried but rather be safe than sorry. I normally wouldn't even be worried about it but it did happen to a family here. The coop has 4 large flood lights in it that keep the air temp actually quite warm. They are also in a metal building that is 10x20 ft. And today was 65 and tomorrow will be 79 degrees. BUT Sunday will be 40 degrees. How I love that Kansas weather.

 

[ruth]

What kind of "heat lamps" are you talking about? I think most people are referring to a light bulb in a reflector dome when they say "heat lamp" which shouldn't be a fire hazard. Depending on what you are referring to, it could be why it got so hot if you had 2 "heat lamps" and a light bulb in the original brooder box.

Personally, I use a regular 75watt bulb in a reflector dome. I've found the large 120-150 spotlight bulbs just get way too hot for a cardboard box - my chicks couldn't get far enough away and were panting. Of course, my newest chicks, which are 2 weeks old today, spent the day outside in 74 temps playing in the sunshine and fresh air. I'm the odd egg on here but I don't think I've ever had them at 95 degrees and their little fuzzy butts go outside at one week old if it's at least 70 out there. I have one batch of chickens, healthy and laying eggs, who never saw a heat light or light bulb in their life. It was August in New Orleans and they went outside from day one.

 

[coopist]

It sounds to me as if you put the chicks out in a confined space in cold weather with very hot lamps and no way for the chicks to get out from under the heat into a comfortable environment without getting chilled. The temperature directly under the lamp should be a STEADY 90-95 the first week, and the chicks should be able to move away from the lamp to an environment about room temperature or a little lower. You did not provide these conditions.

Sincerely: With the night temps in the 30's or below, newly hatched chicks should not be outside. Even with heat lamps, they have no defense against the cold, and would be forced to stay under those smothering lamps constantly--which is not a good idea. Also, could all of those chicks fit under that lamp? Were the ones on the outside the ones that were chilled?

If you're worried about a fire hazard from brooding chicks indoors, you should probably order/buy chicks later in the spring. I'm sorry if this sounds harsh, but I'd never put new hatchlings outdoors in freezing temperatures under a heat lamp. I don't think they should be outdoors until they are 3 weeks of age and have some feathering.

 

[Royal Blue]

One more important thing besides the 90-95 degree temp, they need food and water available 24/7. If you try to feed chicks at certain times of the day they are likely to over eat when they see food and this could lead to death.

 

[mhoward92]

yup i agree with everyone else, your chicks need more heat WAY MORE HEAT!! if you dont get it soon they will all die and you will be out 31 chickens. you need to bring them in your house and get a "heat bulb" the tempurture should be 90-95 degrees the first week, decreasing the temp 5 degrees every week. but you need to jump on this otherwise they will all freeze to death.