Chicks need a heat lamp and the correct conditions for as long as they do not have enough feathers to keep themselves warm. The lamp is used to keep the newly hatched chicks in an environment that they can grow and be able to look after themselves, without the help from their mother of any other human assistance.
To look after chicks at this early stage, you will need to put them in a box that should be big enough for them, with sufficient lighting for their needs. Make sure that you use a proper heat lamp and not an ordinary light bulb, heat lamps are covered in silver to keep the heat from the lamp coming out and focused on the area that you have the bulb pointed at.
Make sure that the environment for the chicks is correct, these will need space to move and not be too cramped. A wooden box is best and you should avoid having solid sides or sides that are higher than eighteen inches. This will prevent the box from getting too hot and your chicks overheating. Overheating your chicks will distress them and can also kill them if left too long, so make sure that the sides are well ventilated. You should put sawdust, paper shavings or crushed dried corn cob on the floor for them to nest in. You will need to change this on a regular basis.
You will need one 250 watt heat bulb for up to 100 chicks. You can use the same for up to 25 goslings or 50 ducklings.
You should keep the temperature of the box at 90 degrees. You can monitor this by keeping a thermometer on the box and checking it regularly. To adjust the temperature, you will need to move the bulb closer or further away from the box. This will make the box hotter or cooler.
You should decrease the temperature in the box by five degrees each week, until the chicks have enough feathers to heat themselves.
To look after chicks at this early stage, you will need to put them in a box that should be big enough for them, with sufficient lighting for their needs. Make sure that you use a proper heat lamp and not an ordinary light bulb, heat lamps are covered in silver to keep the heat from the lamp coming out and focused on the area that you have the bulb pointed at.
Make sure that the environment for the chicks is correct, these will need space to move and not be too cramped. A wooden box is best and you should avoid having solid sides or sides that are higher than eighteen inches. This will prevent the box from getting too hot and your chicks overheating. Overheating your chicks will distress them and can also kill them if left too long, so make sure that the sides are well ventilated. You should put sawdust, paper shavings or crushed dried corn cob on the floor for them to nest in. You will need to change this on a regular basis.
You will need one 250 watt heat bulb for up to 100 chicks. You can use the same for up to 25 goslings or 50 ducklings.
You should keep the temperature of the box at 90 degrees. You can monitor this by keeping a thermometer on the box and checking it regularly. To adjust the temperature, you will need to move the bulb closer or further away from the box. This will make the box hotter or cooler.
You should decrease the temperature in the box by five degrees each week, until the chicks have enough feathers to heat themselves.
