Stressing over temperature regulation

[CuckooCachooo]

I'm having a hard time keeping my chicks at 95. I can't seem to find the sweet spot (95 degrees). Does anyone have any tips on how to keep it at 95 it's always at 93 or 100....?

 

[Jmay402]

Are you talking about incubating eggs or live chicks? If you are talking about live chicks, I don't think 2 degrees will matter. If it is down to 93, I say leave it. Let your chicks tell you if they are too cold. If they all constantly stay under the heat lamp and are all huddled up. they are too cold. If they are trying to stay as far away from the heat lamp as possible, they are probably too hot. Adjust your lamp according to the chicks behaviors.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

Chicks shouldn't be at high 90's. Make sure your heat source is to one side of brooder. As Jaymay said they will regulate themselves, allow for plenty of space away from the heat.

I use to measure the temp under lamp, don't bother anymore. When did so would get it about 90 F first 5 days then raise the lamp some to get it 85 F for another 5 days and raise some more. Now a days it's simply through observation. If the chicks are not directly under lamp then it gets raised some to cool it off. It gets raised the one time then turned off for periods of time after two weeks until weened at bit over three weeks. We brood in a garage so ambient is about 55 F.

 

[azygous]

Many folks new at brooding baby chicks agonize over the brooder temperatures, having been recently made aware of the temperature guidelines.

It's not written in stone that you must provide 95F in the first week and decrease it by five degrees each week thereafter. In fact, nowhere in the guidelines does it point out that the recommended temps are for a heat zone directly beneath the heat source only! The remainder of the brooder should be kept much cooler!

I noticed that many brand new baby chicks prefer, not the recommended 95F during their first week, but are much more comfortable at 85F. If your chicks are trying to get as far away from the heat source as they can, it's a signal to you that the heat lamp is too hot. Either raise the lamp or switch the bulb to a lower wattage.

You want to see baby chicks moving in and out of the heat zone, from warm to cool and back again with ease. Chicks hogging the spot directly beneath the heat source means they're cold and need it warmer. You need to lower the heat lamp in that case or go to a higher wattage.

Remember, it can be any temperature at all, even close to freezing, in the rest of the brooder space. The important thing is that there is a heat source at which the chicks can warm themselves. They will take care of regulating how much heat they need by moving in and out of that heat zone.

 

[CuckooCachooo]

They seem to be walking around fine. Exploring the brooder. They're new baby chicks not eggs (sorry I didn't clarify). Yes I am new to raising these little babies. I was a total worry wart with my son when I had him. I think it's just my personality to worry about little babies (human or animal) haha I am going to get a new brooder today though. The one I have is a little to small.

 

[CuckooCachooo]

This is how they're sleeping

 

[lazy gardener]

If those chicks are in your house, you run a very real risk of cooking them with that much heat. The heat builds up inside the plastic, and has no where to go, so the temp will rise throughout the bin until it's at unsafe levels. I know. Been there, done that. Now, I'll not use anything other than a heating pad to brood. IMO, it's much safer, and more closely mimics the gentle heat provided by a broody hen. https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/yes-you-certainly-can-brood-chicks-outdoors

 

[CuckooCachooo]

What type of heating pad? I check them and the thermometer every two hours and adjust accordingly with the heat lamp.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

There seems to be a movement to heating pads. The old traditional way of a light is good too. I feel you've far too much light for the size of brooder. Looks like a 250w heat lamp which would be far too much indoors with a small brooder. The size brooder your using would only require a 60W incandescent. You could get a red bulb if color is an issue for you. The light doesn't need to be infrared. I've used white lights for brooders for years. To give a idea how little the heat source needs to be I use a livestock water tank as brooder in unheated garage with a 125w lamp and metal reflector over end 1/3 of tank. That's it. First week the water and feed I keep mid point and as the birds age and move about more put the feed and water on far end away from heat.

 

[CuckooCachooo]

I'm going to build my own brooder. One with wheels so I can wheel it in and out of our spare bedroom as needed. I'm going to get a different bulb as well. I keep our chicks in a back bedroom away from our dogs and my toddler. I want them to have room to roam. The only reason I used a tote is because I needed something fast. My tractor supply runs through chicks fast so I set up an area for them and decided to adjust accordingly. The tote is pretty easy, but I don't feel they have enough room. Now that I'm reading all this information I'm going to improve their living quarters to make sure they're comfortable. 2 of them developed pasty butt, but I believe it's from them being transported.