New Silkie Brood. Please critique my new set up.

[Ruler of the Roost]

Picked up 5 Silkies and a Frizzle, all Buffs, from J&M Farms in Springhill, FL. Great people and highly recommended. To try an avoid what happened last time I have them in a completely different 'brooder' set up that I used for Turkeys a bit back. These chicks are a little older already, so probably past the fragile stage, but I don't want to take any chances. This 'brooder' is a rabbit cage that we originally purchased for guinea pigs, and later was used for turkeys. We have a heat lamp that is double secured by several zip ties, A large feeder in the center provides food and shade. We got a meat thermometer in the set up that has the temp under the light pegged consistently at 90 degrees F. Shredded junk mail for bedding. Non-medicated 18% starter feed, Nutrena. And Rooster Booster +K in the water diluted to 1 oz per gallon. My question is are these guys hot cold or scared? They are all huddled together, away from the lamp... I thought they'd be spread out away from the lamp if hot, or huddled together under the lamp if cold. They were huddled together under the lamp, so I lowered it and that when I went and grabbed the meat thermometer. Please be critical, I don't want to deal with a repeat of the last Silkie Brood I had.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

We got a meat thermometer in the set up that has the temp under the light pegged consistently at 90 degrees F. Shredded junk mail for bedding. Non-medicated 18% starter feed, Nutrena. And Rooster Booster +K in the water diluted to 1 oz per gallon. My question is are these guys hot cold or scared? They are all huddled together, away from the lamp... I thought they'd be spread out away from the lamp if hot, or huddled together under the lamp if cold. They were huddled together under the lamp, so I lowered it and that when I went and grabbed the meat thermometer.

Congratulations on your chicks!

I like the cage.

I'd raise the heat lamp up, it looks too hot. They are huddling near the heat, but not under, so where they are huddling is what temp they are preferring. Does that make sense?

Chicks love to pile, so I wouldn't worry about that too much.

Move your food/water to the cool end of the brooder so they can venture to the cooler end a little more, this will give them some room to spread out a bit near the heat if they wish, but likely they will all huddle.

 

[paddock36]

I agree they are too hot under the lamp. That's why they moved away from the heat lamp to huddle.