[hulgrin]

Hi guy's and gals.It's going to be our chicks first night in their new home tonight  :DThey are 4 weeks old and I have built a pen with an infrared heat lamp for them. The base is hard board covered with compressed shavings,( I thought that the hard board would keep them away from the cold concrete floor. My worry is that they are going to be too cold/warm. What signs should I be looking for if things are not right ?? I've just realised that i cant use a thermometer cos the lamps infrared ! lol

[hulgrin]

Sorry, The pen is 3' in diameter and just under 2' tall with 2 chick's ! I dont know what cos the wife and kids havnt come back with them yet  Does this sound ok or are the poor little blighters going to shivering all night ? I dont think I'm going to sleep a wink tonight 

[joyfull]

if you watch them when you get them in their brooder then you will see if they huddle under the heat lamp then they are cold, if they move out of the way then they are too warm. Did you not get instructions of the people who sold/gave you the chickens?
Can I just ask you why you want for such young chicks instead of point of lay?
What breed are they?

[hulgrin]

Chicks are home !  They seem to be laying just out from directly under the lamp. I've put the lamp to one side of the "brooder" ( is that what a chick pen is called ?  ) I figured they would then move around till they were comfortable. I don't know what breed they are. One looks kinda bluey grey and the other dark brown/black and looks as tho it's going to have goldey flecks around it's neck when it gets its proper feathers. I'm really nervous about tonight, i hope it all goes ok. We picked birds this young because we wanted the kids to rear them from as young as possible. I only found this forum after I had ordered them and on here the general concensus seems to be to go for pol birds, but here's fingers crossed 

[Hayley'sHens]

The 2 darker ones sound like blackrocks and the bluey grey one sounds like a blue belle.

[hulgrin]

That would be nice because they are both pretty birds I think. 

[Hayley'sHens]

They are both lovely birds, I have them in my own flock. Photos would help us be able to tell you for sure though 

[hulgrin]

I'll try and take some pics tomorrow. It's their first night and I didnt wont to overstress them.

[Sassy]

You've got the right idea to move the lamp to one side of the brooder. That gives the chicks the opportunity to move away from the lamp if they are too warm. If they are constantly huddled up under the lamp they may be cold so you could try lowering it a bit. It is trial and error. As they get older you can gradually raise the lamp to wean them off it. Good luck

[hulgrin]

Didn't sleep to well last night  :blink: Woke around 2 ish and couldnt get back to sleep. It's like being a new dad again  I think I just have got it right by chance on the heat lamp thing. They tend to like it the other side of their feeder from the light but they are not right at the edge of the brooder. They seem to have perked up abit today. There's lots of chirping and walking about going on. Found them eating from their feeder this morning so that's good  I've taken apic of each of them,(sorry about the pose but they didnt like the flash so I just took one and left them to it) Now how do you post pics on here................

Hope this works 

[joyfull]

it worked 
lovely chicks 

[hulgrin]

Ahhhhhhh, but what are they .............?     

[Hayley'sHens]

Oh they are lovely  And i was right, They are blackrocks and a bluebelle

[hulgrin]

  <<<<<< Proud dad grin !



Just been to check on their water and the blackrock chick seemed to be breathing very deeply   Is this normal at rest ? The bluebell wasnt doing it but was slightly further from the lamp. I know paranoid parent but I really dont want there to be anything wrong I've read on hear lots about food additives and tonics for older birds but is there something that I can give to younger chick's just to keep them healthy and mayby give them a boost ? Should I be thinking about worming/liceing and stuff or are they just too young ?

[joyfull]

so long as she can move away from the heat she should be ok.