1 week old chicks

[Fourwaldens]

I have 4 one week old chicks, we’ve kept them under a heat lamp in a box in the house all week giving them a few minutes outside to enjoy the grass and dirt. Everything I have read says roughly 90-95 degrees is a good temp for them at this point...but my chicks pant at 85-90 and seem happiest around 75... is that normal?
They are 2 Easter Eggers and 2 polish of that is helpful
they are currently outside in their box running around playing keep away with each other with some dandelion weeds and various other weeds I put in there and it’s about 76 degrees. (Dandelion weeds and pollen seem to be their favorite to play keep away with)

 

[Jaguar61]

If they're running around, I'd say they're happy. Usually if they're cold they cluster up to keep warm

 

[CB3fish]

I have 4 one week old chicks, we’ve kept them under a heat lamp in a box in the house all week giving them a few minutes outside to enjoy the grass and dirt. Everything I have read says roughly 90-95 degrees is a good temp for them at this point...but my chicks pant at 85-90 and seem happiest around 75... is that normal?
They are 2 Easter Eggers and 2 polish of that is helpful
they are currently outside in their box running around playing keep away with each other with some dandelion weeds and various other weeds I put in there and it’s about 76 degrees. (Dandelion weeds and pollen seem to be their favorite to play keep away with)

 

[PouleChick]

I'm new to all this but watching my mama hen with our 1 week old chicks they run around outside literally all day and maybe pop under her every once in a while for a few minutes. It was only 19-20c (sorry not sure of f temp!) today so not roasting either. It really makes me wonder about the whole brooder 'recommendations' and who made them up when!

 

[Jaguar61]

Just remember that they are just that - recommendations. Get to know your animals and they'll let you know what they need. You're doing great.

 

[Fourwaldens]

I'm new to all this but watching my mama hen with our 1 week old chicks they run around outside literally all day and maybe pop under her every once in a while for a few minutes. It was only 19-20c (sorry not sure of f temp!) today so not roasting either. It really makes me wonder about the whole brooder 'recommendations' and who made them up when!

This makes me feel better, thank you!!!

 

[Fourwaldens]

Just remember that they are just that - recommendations. Get to know your animals and they'll let you know what they need. You're doing great.

Thank you!
The recommendation was just so much higher and obviously making my babies uncomfortable it made me a little worried about their health. thanks again!!

 

[CB3fish]

Sounds beautiful. I have chicks about 4 days old. I have them in a brooder, about 3 feet long and 20 inches wide and 20" wide. We live in Fl it is about 90 degrees out side. I do have a heat lamp for night when it goes down to the 70's. I have them on the lanai but have not yet put them on the ground. I do know if they had a broody hen they would be outside already. I am including a photo of my makeshift brooder. I just hesitate to put them on the ground yet. We do have ants all over the place. I have sprayed the outside of the brooder with white vinegar which repels ants. I have a special pen completely covered from all directions but open on the ground. In a few days I will venture to put them out.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I didn't bother with a thermometer, you can use the chicks behavior to know if it's too hot, too cold or just right. If they're not huddling together under the light nor at the very far edges of the box away from the light, then they're probably pretty happy with the temperature.

 

[Fourwaldens]

I didn't bother with a thermometer, you can use the chicks behavior to know if it's too hot, too cold or just right. If they're not huddling together under the light nor at the very far edges of the box away from the light, then they're probably pretty happy with the temperature.

I didn’t use a thermometer until curiosity struck today when I needed to replace a light. I grabbed a brooder light for $3 and went home and put it in... and the chicks starting panting and getting as far as possible away from it so I threw our huge thermometer in to check it out... it was 85.
I went and checked my ducks and it was 72ish and they were fine. So I checked wattage on both bulbs... I quickly ran back up to the store and matched my wattage to what my chicks had been use to — maybe like me they already run hot. We don’t need extra heat once I replaced it with the lower wattage the babies have been running like crazy again.