Solved - ASAP idk what do 😭 first time owner of little chickens

[Chickenfanevee12]

I recently bought eight little chickens and moved them to another box.

I didn’t buy a heat lamp, but I do have a garage heater with different settings: the first is low, the second is medium, but it's actually quite hot.

The box is in the middle of the table, and the heater is positioned near the front edge of the table, slightly above the box. I was thinking of making small holes in the box and placing a blanket over it, but not too close to the holes.

I’ve attached an image so you can see the setup and the heater I’m talking about. However, I’m worried that if I go to sleep, they might overheat and die.




THE HEATER




The green represents the heater, the purple is the table, the red is the chicken box, and the black is the small table lifting the chicken box so they can catch some heat.

I placed the box on the small table because if I put it directly on the ground, I’m worried my clumsy family might step on or kick it by accident.

WHAT I SETUP

 

[Chickenfanevee12]

Also I forgot buy paddings for them that’s why I was worrying about especially.

 

[rosemarythyme]

A photo would be more helpful with the set up. How hot is it during the day and night (ambient) in the location where the box is set? Do you have a thermometer? If so what is the temperature closest to the heat source in the box AND away from the heat source but still in the box?

Can you buy a heat lamp if needed?

Do NOT cover the box with a blanket - you need ventilation and light. The box should be SECURELY covered with an open wire mesh lid.

You mentioned your family might kick the box by accident - that makes me concerned that the box is too small, or needs to be placed somewhere else. It needs to be big enough for the chicks as well as food and water and heat, and secure so that the chicks don't escape and nothing gets to them either.

 

[Acre4Me]

Buy a proper heat source if possible. If you buy heat lamp bulbs, make sure they are for animals (fast food heat bulbs can be coated with a shatter-resistance substance that will emit gasses when heated that will kill small animals). Puppy pee pads or paper towels can substitute for shavings, but avoid newspaper or similar bc that is slippery and can negatively impact their legs when young.

Right now, you need to keep them draft free, so avoid putting them where a hvac vent might blow air on them, or deflect the airflow. They do need proper warmth or they can die. If, for now, your best option is the heater, then you’ll need to be able to keep the area warm, but also allow them to move away from the hottest area. Normally this is a larger area, with heat source in one location, so they can move freely among a temperature gradient.

 

[Chickenfanevee12]

A photo would be more helpful with the set up. How hot is it during the day and night (ambient) in the location where the box is set? Do you have a thermometer? If so what is the temperature closest to the heat source in the box AND away from the heat source but still in the box?

Can you buy a heat lamp if needed?

Do NOT cover the box with a blanket - you need ventilation and light. The box should be SECURELY covered with an open wire mesh lid.

You mentioned your family might kick the box by accident - that makes me concerned that the box is too small, or needs to be placed somewhere else. It needs to be big enough for the chicks as well as food and water and heat, and secure so that the chicks don't escape and nothing gets to them either.

The room temperature is 74°F, but my selfish dad made me keep them next to the wall and floor, which is really cold because the door is near that area. I do have a heat lamp, but it’s about to go out, and my dad won’t let me go outside to get it at night. The heat lamp is somewhere in the trailer, but I can’t get it right now. The box is an average size, not too small, and the chicks are still really tiny. I don’t have a place for them yet because it’s too cold today to set one up, and I’m still in the process of figuring it out.

The heater is 5000W I don’t know what temperature is it in one line but is not to hot or cold just warm but since they’re close is enough warm. They seem like one was sleeping like flat on floor as if sick but no I grab her and she seems conscious .

(My family are not actually clumsy but they’re so stupid to look down to their addiction phone, sometimes my dad and sister fight teasingly that ****ing kicks or go chaos. Also if I tell them about look out of the chicks not to hit or anything harm. They will forget it.)

 

[Chickenfanevee12]

Buy a proper heat source if possible. If you buy heat lamp bulbs, make sure they are for animals (fast food heat bulbs can be coated with a shatter-resistance substance that will emit gasses when heated that will kill small animals). Puppy pee pads or paper towels can substitute for shavings, but avoid newspaper or similar bc that is slippery and can negatively impact their legs when young.

Right now, you need to keep them draft free, so avoid putting them where a hvac vent might blow air on them, or deflect the airflow. They do need proper warmth or they can die. If, for now, your best option is the heater, then you’ll need to be able to keep the area warm, but also allow them to move away from the hottest area. Normally this is a larger area, with heat source in one location, so they can move freely among a temperature gradient.

I see that when I move my little chicks closer to the heater a bit down I moved the small table to a smaller table so they don’t overheat. One chicken began resting like in the floor noticed nothing wrong with her she’s still consious

 

[CalgaryFarmer]

Do you have a themometer? What is the temperature where the chicks are?

 

[CalgaryFarmer]

5000 watts, you will cook the chicks.

 

[Chickenfanevee12]

A photo would be more helpful with the set up. How hot is it during the day and night (ambient) in the location where the box is set? Do you have a thermometer? If so what is the temperature closest to the heat source in the box AND away from the heat source but still in the box?

Can you buy a heat lamp if needed?

Do NOT cover the box with a blanket - you need ventilation and light. The box should be SECURELY covered with an open wire mesh lid.

You mentioned your family might kick the box by accident - that makes me concerned that the box is too small, or needs to be placed somewhere else. It needs to be big enough for the chicks as well as food and water and heat, and secure so that the chicks don't escape and nothing gets to them either.

5000 watts, you will cook the chicks.

I putted one line is not that hot for them unless they’re close to it which is dangerous they’re below of it.

 

[Chickenfanevee12]

Do you have a themometer? What is the temperature where the chicks are?

74 is pretty cold here.