Temperature Issue!

[MyNameIs86]

Anyway,
i am having temperature issue's with my brooder box which is a 66qt plastic box w/ 60 watt light w/ wood shavings.
the temperature is only getting to 85 degrees. My mom says not to worry too much since chicken tend to live outside in lower heat. I have tried everything i have hand warmers under the box in a corner, they aren't peeping, they are huddled together (one is kind of stepping on another yeesh.)

is this okay? I tend to worry a LOT.

 

[fried green eggs]

When they are piling up they are probably cold and trying to stay warm. Baby chicks need 95 deg 1st week then minus 5 deg each week after till all feathers come in, then they can handle colder weather. Can you cover part of top and sides with blankets? Heating pad layed under plastic tub?

 

[Aschenfire]

Chicks sleep in a loose pile. I do not for one moment think they are cold at 85 degrees. Your Mom is correct, birds sleep outside in all weather when they are babies. As long as you have a warm spot for them to get into IF they need it, they will be fine. Better than overheating and having pasty butt issues or chicks panting constantly

 

[steelersfan43]

When they are piling up they are probably cold and trying to stay warm. Baby chicks need 95 deg 1st week then minus 5 deg each week after till all feathers come in, then they can handle colder weather. Can you cover part of top and sides with blankets? Heating pad layed under plastic tub?

I agree. When they are piled up, this means they are cold. They do like to sleep in groups sometimes, but a tight group is not a good thing.

 

[Beekissed]

Huddled together and piling up are a little different...huddled looks like everyone sleeping close and may even have their heads lying across another's back and such~normal for several or even all the chicks to huddle while some individuals like to sprawl by themselves.

Piling up looks like all chicks are smashed into a corner and you can't clearly see their heads or most of their bodies under the crush of the other chicks. With piling you will even see some trying to jostle to get closer to the middle of the pile and will climb on top to get there.

Right now most of my chicks are huddled all together, sleeping very close to each other with heads tucked or lying upon another....and they are a foot or more away from the heat lamp, under which only a few are sprawled out like drunks.

 

[Momagain1]

haha sprawled out like drunks....thats mine!! all over!

 

[MyNameIs86]

i was getting worried so i put hand warmers under neath the brooder box in one corner to generate heat.
target sells them for $1.00 each. They come in 2 to a pack or 1 big one to a pack. I use the bigger one so it makes more heat in a bigger area and lasts longer.
they are sleeping not huddled up together any more or on top of each other. they are right next to each other but not huddled in a bunch.

 

[fried green eggs]

Glad you found a solution and now have happy chicks

 

[chicken pickin]

It sounds like they are doing ok but if you feel like they arent warming up enough you can go to the store and buy a heat lamp with a red bulb which generate more heat than a regular light bulb and the red bulbs are meant for use with animals especially chicks.