Category: Managing the Flock

Controlling Temperature in the Brooder

Understanding Behavior, Traditional Heat Lamps, and the Radiant Heat Alternative


One of the biggest concerns most people have is keeping the brooder at the proper temperature. You’ve probably read the norm… 95 degrees the first week, then lower the temperature by 5 degrees each week until the chicks are fully feathered. That’s the rule of thumb and one I have always been faithful to. However…
I know heat lamps are a royal pain when trying to achieve a specific and consistent temperature. And radiant heat from today’s brooders probably have you wondering if they offer enough heat.  That’s why this season I decided to experiment, pitched the heat lamp, and put my trust solely in radiant heat on my newly hatched chicks.
Yes, it seemed too cold in the brooder at night, certainly wasn’t 95, and that made me nervous. But I had a feeling radiant heat would prove better if I just stuck with it. Radiant heat seemed more natural, more like a mother hen, and that just had to be better than a clunky bright heat lamp dangling over their head.

Is Radiant Heat Better?

At one week old: The temperature in the brooder was 65, and the chicks weren’t huddled together trying to stay warm. They were playing, eating, and on and off congregating under the radiant heat brooder. No fuss, no worries, and no pasty butts, which is a common problem of chicks under stress during their first week of life.
I think chicks can take the cold a lot better than we think. I’ve seen hens take their chicks outside in 30-degree temperatures with no problem. So why do we need to stress over the perfect 95-degree law in the brooder? We don’t, plain and simple.
Here are my Silkie Bantam chicks in perfect condition, raised using radiant heat in temperatures 25-30 degrees below the recommended 95 degrees the first week. They’re five weeks old now and happy as can be.

The trick is to watch your chicks, they will tell you if they are uncomfortable. Too hot and they will be scattered far from the heat source. Too cold and they will huddle together in a corner for warmth.  It doesn’t matter what the temperature is or where you live, baby chicks all communicate the same.
Note: If I thought radiant heat wasn’t enough during very cold spells, I would use a heat lamp near the brooder rather than right over them. This will help warm the air around the brooder box just enough to still encourage the use of the radiant heat brooder within.
It’s all about behavior… watch and they will teach you how much heat they need. It’s just amazing to watch those fuzzy butts, they’re a wealth of information…  watch them, and you’ll see for yourself!

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Why Hens Leave the Nest After Laying an Egg

A Hen Knows Best

Silkie
Buff Orpington

Chickens never lay more than one egg per day. If the eggs are not collected, and a sufficient number of eggs are allowed to remain in the nest, the hen may stop laying eggs and start brooding. When the hen leaves the nest after laying an egg, it cools which suspends the development of the embryo inside.
If the temperature remains between 45F and 65F, the embryos will remain viable for as long as two weeks. When the hen becomes broody and sits on her eggs for three weeks, all of the eggs will hatch at about the same time. This is why it is normal for the hen to leave the nest after laying.
Remember, not all hens will sit on eggs…ever. However, some breeds have very strong tendencies to become broody or be inclined to incubate eggs such as Silkies, Cochins, and Brahmas.

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How to Determine the Point of Lay

If you buy your birds as chicks, you can expect to feed and care for them for 22 to 24 weeks before they reach their point of lay. However, this depends on the breed, time of year, and the level of care they have received. It is not uncommon for some breeds to take even longer to mature and not produce until 25 to 30 weeks.
Some people would rather skip chick-rearing altogether and buy pullets already at their point of lay. Sounds like a good plan, but you’ll have to be patient with that choice. Even if they are laying eggs, they will most likely stop for as long as two months when they are moved to a new environment. It’s important to know the bird’s actual age too; point of lay doesn’t mean they are laying… it means they will lay in the near future.
Knowing the age of a pullet is important; you don’t want to feed a layer diet too early. Most people buy chickens to have a fresh supply of eggs. Rushing young birds may cause serious health issues, which won’t fill the egg basket!
So how can you tell if a pullet is actually close to laying? There is a simple way to check the age and the approximate point of lay.
Here’s How…
Pick up the pullet and tuck her head under your arm. Situate her so you can easily get to her rear end or vent area.
Locate the 2 pelvic bones.
If the pullet is not yet laying, the pelvic bones will be very close together.
If she just started laying the pelvic bones will be about 1 finger apart.
As a pullet matures and produces eggs, you will be able to put 2 to 3 fingers between the pelvic bones.
This test will give you an idea of a pullet’s age, it can’t tell you when you’ll get that first egg, but it will also help you determine the pullet’s feed requirements while you’re waiting.

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