Kitchen Garden Forum

Happy New Year to everyone

Father Christmas was very kind to me as I am now the proud owner of a 24 egg incubator or will be when it arrives sometime this week.
The problem I have is with the aftercare of the chicks after incubation I am buliding a brooder for them, I would like to know how long do you leave the heat lamp on for is all the time or do I turn it off at night

Best Wishes & kind Regards

Kevin

Darren

NO don't turn it off at night whatever you do.
Chicks need 95 degrees Farenheit for the first week. You can drop this by 5 degrees every week until they're 6 weeks old. Then they are fairly well feathered and unless the weather is very cold, they are able to withstand normal temperatures. Only part of the brooder needs to be this temperature, as the chicks need to be able to cool off when their bodies need to.

If they are cheeping a lot, and loudly, they are too cold!

A good guide to get hold of is Katie Thear's Incubation A Guide to Hatching and Rearing, Broad Leys Publishing - though there should be plenty of other books in your local library. Also many websites.

Hi Alan,

Thanks for the advice very helpful, as for Katie Thear's book that too will hopefully arrive sometime this week I would appear that I need not have bought the book just posted all my question's here

Thanks once again

Best Wishes & Kind Regards

Kevin

Apparently you can tell by the spacing of the chicks whether they are too hot or too cold or just right. Huddled under lamp - too cold.At the edges - too hot. All over the place - just right.