Two Quick Questions...

[Gossie]

I just recently got ten new chickens, who are about three weeks old (unfortunately two died, but since then, everything has been fine.) I just have two quick questions.
I have a white rock, who has many more feathers than the other chicks and she always seems to be hot. I often find her sitting on the floor, panting, but she's eating and drinking and when I pick her up and out of the heat, she acts completely normal. I recently changed them to a larger brooder, when she has more space to get away from the heat and she is acting more normal, but I just want to be sure after I lost the first two chicks. What does everybody think?
I also have a black frizzle cochin bantam that I got at Meyer Hatchery and they say that because the frizzle gene doesn't breed true, only 3/4 of the chicks would have frizzle feathers. It may be too early to tell, but do you think Pickle is frizzled or not? Thanks!

 

[Kiki]

I would guess they were TOO hot.
Do not heat the whole brooder...ever...
they must be able to get away from the heat....heat will kill the same as it being too cold.
Sounds like you fixed that by giving them plenty of room to get away from the heat..right?

 

[Gossie]

Yeah, they have a much bigger space. I was using the Brinsea EcoGlow Brooder, so I figured she could get away by coming out from under it, but maybe it was getting too hot. I'm sure she was too hot though. The other two got sick and were lethargic, so I wanted to make sure she wasn't getting sick too. She seems alright though. Thanks!

 

[Kates Chooks]

Until my babies were a week old, they had a single brooder with the light only on half of it. They are two
weeks now and I added an addition to the brooder
that is not under the heat lamp at all. They have free
choice to sleep in the darkened area or under the heat.
I also added a perch in each section , they are learning how to roost now. Babies must always be given
an area that is not right under the heat lamp. Also, each week you should be raising the lamp up so that it is
five degrees cooler , little by little until they do not need the heat anymore. A thermometer of some kind in the brooder is a great help.