thermometer pecking?

[AndreaS]

I feel like I have been bombarding you all with questions!!

So.....I might just be super paranoid, but I'm worried about temperature fluctuations in my brooder. I have a digital thermometer in the chicks box and I'm worried it might be off- I got a digital one because I read that chicks like to Peck at red things and didn't want mercury poisoning. I have a little wall mounted thermometer from a garden center that I want to use to double check their temperature. Should I be worried about them pecking the red bulb at the base?

Yesterday I noticed that one of my five week old chicks who was fine and perky in the beginning is not developing as fast as the others and is sleeping under the heat lamp all of the time. She is still eating and drinking but is waaaay behind the others as far as growth goes and seems weak. I want to make sure its not too cold/too hot.

Thank you all so much for your generosity and sharing your knowledge! I hope one day I will be able to contribute useful information here instead of asking a million questions!

 

[AndreaS]

Clarification: by five week old chicks I meant that I have 5 and as of today they are a week old.

 

[Intheswamp]

Don't take this as coming from an expert but I think I recall reading that sticking some black electrical tape over the bulb would help the thermometer give a truer reading of radiant heat. This would also cover the red bulb...out of sight, out of mind.

As for having the correct temperature in the brooder. Watch the chicks. All of them standing around the perimeter...too warm under the light. All gather under the light....too cool. Chicks running here and there, sleeping, eating, drinking as if the light doesn't matter to them...just right.

Here's a image I dug up on the internet...I think you'd still have a few chicks moving under the lamp.

Best wishes,
Ed

 

[AndreaS]

Thanks Ed! I'll try the black tape.