New here, need advice on 1 day old chicks

[S97]

Hello my name is Sierra i am getting 8, 1day old chicks soon and was wondering about how close i should have the heat lamp for my chicks. I am use an old aquarium that is 4 feet long and about 20 inches tall. The heat lamp is about 14 inches from the ground. Is that to close? The other side of the tank is toom temperature, and i will be keeping the food and water on the room temp side. Just wondering if the heat lamp is to close. I have a thermometer inside the tank that reads at 90°f on the heat lamp side. I also have a little reptile heating pad. Should i use that as well?

 

[ValerieJ]

Hi! Welcome to BYC!

You need the heat lamp close enough to get the temperature up to 95 to 98 degrees the first week, then you can bring the temp down 5-10 degrees per week until you are at room temperature. Your chicks will tell you if they are too hot or too cold by their behavior. If they are chirping loudly, they are too hot. If they are fluffed up and huddled in the corner under the light, they are too cold.

Congrats on getting into the chicken world! You're going to have fun!

 

[Pork Pie]

Hi and welcome to BYC.

Here are some helpful links:

• Great go-to resource - Articles
• Insightful feedback on how members manage their flocks - Topic of the Week back-catalogue

Best wishes

Pork Pie

 

[PioneerChicks]

I'm glad you found us! Chicken raising is a great hobby and each chicken has a unique and wonderful personality. Welcome to BYC!

I agree with what @ValerieJ said, the chicks will tell you if they are hot or cold. Also, if you hear a loud and consistent PEEP PEEP PEEP than your chicks are telling you that they need something or something is wrong.

If your chicks are one day old you might want to put paper towels on top of the shavings for the first couple of days to help prevent splayed leg (sometimes called splay leg or straddle leg). If some do have it than you can always turn to BYC to help!

Questions are always welcome. Mistakes are common, and we all make them. Pictures of other people's flocks always make my day! Have a great day!

 

[Matilda Belle]

Here is the temperature guideline for chicks:

Week 1: 95 degrees
Week 2: 90 degrees
Week 3: 85 degrees
Week 4: 80 degrees
Week 5: 75 degrees
Week 6: 70 degrees

I, personally, don't think chicks need this much heat. I've had day old chicks that were comfortable at 90 degrees, and some at 3 weeks at 70 degrees. Follow the guidelines, but listen and watch for signs of distress. They will cry and huddle together if they are too cold, and they will act lethargic if too hot. If possible, you should provide a spot inside your set up where they can get out of the direct heat/light.

 

[S97]

Thank you! I actually have 5 chickens now. I think they are about 8 months old now. i got 3 of them at my local Atwoods when they were maybe 3 weeks old. (2 Buff Orpingtons and 1 black tail Japanese Bantam rooster) and i was blessed with 2 rescues from my husbands coworker. (White crested black polish and a black australorp i think that's what she is.) They were already about 6 months old i think. I used to just use my Reddit account to ask for advice but my husband said there is probably a forum for back yard chickens lol. Im still learning. Here are some pictures of my flock and my coop.

 

[Matilda Belle]

Beautiful flock and set up! Welcome to BYC! I've been here almost two years and am still learning.

 

[NatJ]

aquarium that is 4 feet long and about 20 inches tall. The heat lamp is about 14 inches from the ground. Is that to close? The other side of the tank is toom temperature, and i will be keeping the food and water on the room temp side. Just wondering if the heat lamp is to close. I have a thermometer inside the tank that reads at 90°f on the heat lamp side.

You have a warm end and a cool end, and you already checked it with a thermometer. Perfect!

After the chicks arrive, you can adjust the lamp a little if needed. If they huddle right under the heat lamp, then move the lamp a little lower. If the chicks always stay well away from the lamp, then move it higher. (You will end up moving it gradually higher over the first month or so, and finally they will be big enough to not need heat at all.)

I also have a little reptile heating pad. Should i use that as well?

Probably not. The heat lamp sounds good, all by itself.

 

[tdan]

I would like for others to weigh in on this, I started a group out at 85, then dropped to 82 on day 3. Continually watched behaviors and dropped after a week of 82 (4 weeks a degree or few every other day). They feathered really fast and were outside by week 4, until a cold snap. I put them back under heat then reduced again to static 56 for two weeks.

Fastest chicks I have ever had feathering and they are tough. Orpingtons, australorps and chantecellers. I was following some old timers saying how fast they got chicks out and mine are as healthy as any, but I had to watch them very close and bring temp back up twice in my drops. This is what I perceive triggered the feathering, but my vigilance protected them.

This was using an automated controller with an alarm, so I wouldn't try it with just heights etc. looking for any feedback or commentary so the OP has all sides. This was the first time I did it, and I say it was successful.

 

[2 many chickens]

I would not use the heat pad. Its going to be plenty warm in there.. don't want to overheat them. Keep an eye on the light too, if it were to fall in there with them, that would be a mess. You'll be able to tell how they're doing. If they are all flocking to the side where the light is not, wings spread and panting, they are overheated.