Temperature for baby chicks.

[nschenzel]

We set up the crate for the new chicks were getting. The heat lamp has different heights to set it at. On the lower one it's 98 degrees and the next higher setting it's 93 degrees. I read your suppose it start at 95 degrees. Can anyone give me a suggestion on what temperature is best?

 

[featheredplanets]

Observe the behaviour of your chicks. I’d keep it at the higher degree for two days then lower it to 93. If they’re too hot they’ll stay at the cool end of the brooder. If they’re too cold they’ll huddle under the heat lamp. With heat lamps, you want them sleeping at the edge of the hotspot.

 

[nschenzel]

Observe the behaviour of your chicks. I’d keep it at the higher degree for two days then lower it to 93. If they’re too hot they’ll stay at the cool end of the brooder. If they’re too cold they’ll huddle under the heat lamp. With heat lamps, you want them sleeping at the edge of the hotspot.

Thank you!

 

[azygous]

You will be measuring the temperature immediately beneath the light on the floor of the brooder to calibrate the height. For chicks in the first week, you should start at 90F, but make sure the rest of the brooder is in the 70s. This means not jacking up the heat in the room in which you're going to brood the chicks as a lot of folks mistakenly believe is desirable.

You will also be reducing that heat footprint quite a bit each week until the chicks are weaned off heat at around four to five weeks old. They should have no need for heat during the day after three weeks.

One year, I got chicks during a very warm spell. The house was around 80F. I found that the babies were getting seriously overheated at 90F under the light. I ditched the 250 watt and scavenged up a 100 watt incandescent and used that instead. It created an 80 degree footprint and the three-day olds were very happy with that.

Now I use the heating pad system, and it takes all the guesswork out of how much heat to provide. And there is no danger of overheated chicks or fire.

 

[JDN]

I'm very new at this, but the breeder we bought a few chicks from told us not to obsess about the temperature. She said if they're scattered away from the light, move it back, if they're huddled, move it in.

I've learned, since they're in a room that isn't insulated or heated, to move the box directly under the light at night and move it back when the sun comes out.