- Jan 26, 2018
- 5
- 0
- 57
Hi there friends!
I am brand new to this, and I just picked up 5 barred rock chicks to start. I have a brooder made out of a big plastic tote with a waterer and feeder. The saucer in the upper right hand corner has chick grit, as I am also raising mealworms for when they are a bit older. I have a heat lamp attached to the side of the tote, but it is not getting any warmer than 75 degrees in the tote according to the thermometer in the corner. They do not seem to be bundled up together in the middle as if they are too cold, but I read they should be in an environment of at least 90F degrees for the first week. Should I trust what I am seeing in their behavior that they are not too cold? Or is the thermometer not reading accurately? Should I get a second heat lamp? Or should I be using a smaller tote so that the lamp is closer to the chicks? My worry is that the bulb box reads to not put the lamp any closer to the surface than 18in.
Thanks!
Alex
I am brand new to this, and I just picked up 5 barred rock chicks to start. I have a brooder made out of a big plastic tote with a waterer and feeder. The saucer in the upper right hand corner has chick grit, as I am also raising mealworms for when they are a bit older. I have a heat lamp attached to the side of the tote, but it is not getting any warmer than 75 degrees in the tote according to the thermometer in the corner. They do not seem to be bundled up together in the middle as if they are too cold, but I read they should be in an environment of at least 90F degrees for the first week. Should I trust what I am seeing in their behavior that they are not too cold? Or is the thermometer not reading accurately? Should I get a second heat lamp? Or should I be using a smaller tote so that the lamp is closer to the chicks? My worry is that the bulb box reads to not put the lamp any closer to the surface than 18in.
Thanks!
Alex