two babies

[kwallace19]

We started with five babies this last week, and the mom we tried to put them under didn't accept any of them. She'd pecked three so hard, the last two died last night and tonight.
I've gotten so invested with these guys, and my mother in law won't even let me put a heat lamp on them.
I got it on them for maybe an hour tonight before she took them and put their crate inside and left me with no knowledge.
Now for my questions...
They are about a week old, and starting to get their feathers. How much time under a heat lamp do they need? How far away should the heat lamp be?
The only reason I got the thing is so I could keep them warm @ my moms when I am working (they are up there with me this next week)...

 

[Ravynscroft]

At a week old the heat lamp needs to be placed/hung securely so the area directly underneath it is at 90°F... this should be decreased by about 5° each week until fully feathered... just make sure they can move to cooler spots if they need to...

Unless it stays really warm where you are, without a heat lamp or broody hen to keep them warm, they can get severely chilled and die...

 

[TLWR]

If you aren't allowed to use a heat lamp, look into using a heating pad.

 

[azygous]

Absolutey get them under a heating pad. Make a little frame out of a scrap of steel fencing, shape it into a shallow arch about three inches high and fasten the heating pad to the under-inside with small bungie cords.

Set it on the highest setting if the room you have them in is cool, which is preferable. If it's very warm, put it on medium. The pad should be one that doesn't shut off after two hours.

Go to the thread on Mama Heating Pad for the Brooder for more info. This is much safer than a heating lamp and should mollify your mother-in-law. It's much safer for the chicks, too.