TOO warm in the brooder?

[sparkles2307]

We lost our first chick of the 106...and of course it had to be yesterday and it HAD to be my favorite banty. So, heres my question. It was pretty cold yesterday morning, so we only partially uncovered the brooder, and it never really warmed up at all, but somehow it was up to about 106 degrees when we got home (we have a method and it has worked 100% up till yesterday) and just the one was laying dead right under the heat lamp...did he get too hot? He was perfectly healthy, never had a poopy butt and always running around... I still have 5 bantys so I will live, but I felt bad and blame myself!

 

[JenMT]

Maybe the heat or maybe it got smothered by the others?..... Sorry you lost your favorite baby, I'm sure you know that sometimes it happens for no apparent reason, darn it!

 

[tellynpeep]

I lost two brand new (1 hour old) hatchlings last night. I took them out of the incubator because they were moving around so much I was afraid they would break the other eggs. Put them in the brooder. An hour later I checked, and they were under the light, dead. The temp in that spot was 110 degrees. Boy, I never felt so bad.... Basically I cooked my babies.
So, yes, too hot is bad.

I have learned that the recommended temps for chicks is a MAXIMUM temp. I think my little babies were too small to get away from the heat. The older birds in that brooder were just fine.

This hobby is full of heartbreak, isn't it?

 

[sparkles2307]

Yes, its sad when one dies, I am the one responsible for their well-being after all. BUT, everyone else (105 others) was alright, so I am guessing that there must have been SOMETHING unseen that made this chick die. An illness I hadnt noticed symptoms of, a defect. Everything happens for a reason, and I will learn as much as I can from this incident to make life better for everyone else.

Too bad it was THAT one tho, he was so unique!

 

[Farmer Kitty]

Quote:
It could very well be something was wrong with the chick. We can not always see what is going on with them. Especially if it was something internal. He could have been under the light trying to get warm, if he was feeling cold and just happened to be there when he died. It may/may not have anything to do with the temp.

 

[sparkles2307]

thanks

Maybe I wont have to use "having my mother stay out for a week" after all to get DH to let me get more bantys....

 

[pascopol]

Quote:
I never use thermometer in my brooder (heat lamp)

I never lost a chick from heat or cold in my brooder either.

I give them enough room so they can find their own comfort zone and they can move away from the bulb as far as they want to.

Also 250W red heat bulb is too strong for indoor use, waste of energy and a fire hazard if not secured properly in ceramic socket.

I run mine through adjustable dim switch ($5.00 in Walmart) lowering the output every day or week as I feel necessary.

Even from the day 1 I never run it full blast.

Smaller heat bulbs 150 or 100 W exist but they are hard to come by locally, can be ordered on line.

 

[mangus580]

Quote:
FYI... although its not a Red one... we found our 150w heat lamp bulb at both of our local Lowes....

 

[LittleMamaBigPapa]

I got my 125 watt at the local feed store. I keep mine at the end of my cardboard box brooder so my chicks can either be under it or anywhere within a comfortable range.

I believe that baby just had a health issue that was internal and there is nothing you could have done. You loved it for awhile and that's special!