Chicks are very delicate creatures and must be raised in a warm and safe environment to strengthen their immune system. If they do not receive an ideal temperature in their first weeks of life, they can develop various problems such as disease, high mortality risk and slowed development.
What are the considerations on the right way to warm up chicks?
How to warm chicks and protect them from the cold, especially newborn chicks
Ensuring an adequate temperature is crucial to ensure that the chicks have ideal conditions for healthy growth. The heat - delivered by heat lamp or infrared - must spread to the entire enclosure, including the floor. The chicks are born at a temperature of 32 degrees and, every week, the temperature must be lowered by two or three degrees. In this way, 16-day-old chicks will be kept at a temperature of 26/28 degrees. The temperature must be reduced for the next 5 to 8 weeks: at the end of this period, they can go outside and move to a hen house connected to the outside
In the first three days of life, the newly hatched chicks must be provided with 21-23 hours of light per day, decreasing in the following three weeks to 16 hours per day and then to 10/12 hours of light per day, in order to ensure proper development of the bird.
At what temperature should the chicks be kept in the artificial henhouse
During the first week of life, the chicks should be exposed to a temperature of 32-35 degrees all day long. Before their arrival, we must prepare the heating machine so that it is already prepared to receive them.
With the passage of time their heating requirements will drop and you can gradually lower the temperature by 2.5 to 3 degrees per week.
From the second week we can drop to a range of 29-32 degrees. In the third week we drop to 25-29 degrees. In the fourth week we can stay in the 22-25 degree Celsius range. From the fifth to the seventh week an optimal temperature is 21-24 degrees Celsius. After this period the chicks no longer have such a strict need for a precise temperature, but it is advisable never to go below 18 degrees Celsius.
When a room temperature difference equal to the progressive reduction of the heat radiated by the lamp is reached (i.e. when the starting temperature produced by the machine is reduced weekly until it equals that of the room) then it can be switched off.
How long should the chicks stay in the artificial hen?
After the eggs hatch, the chicks should be placed under a artificial hen, an apparatus in which the eggs receive the required temperature and humidity.
When a hen is not available to care for the hatchlings, a special hotplate can be used that will provide them with the right conditions for hatching. It has an integrated thermostat that regulates the heat level based on the temperature of the room in which it is placed.
The artificial hen is a more effective solution than infrared lamps: compared to the latter, it does not produce any light, so the young birds do not suffer stress from unnatural lighting and grow more naturally. Artificial nails are very cost-effective as they do not consume as much energy as infrared lamps.
The chicks must have enough space available. In the first 14 days of life we must not collect more than 40 specimens per square metre. After 15 and up to 42 days of age we must not collect more than 20 specimens per square metre. After 42 days we must limit ourselves to 10 specimens per square metre.
After five to eight weeks, the chicks will start to show their adult feathers, and on the basis of this you can take them out of the incubator. As early as three weeks old, you can consider taking them out of the incubator in the middle of the day, but take care that they do not experience too great a change in temperature.
How to tell if chicks are hot
If we see that the chicks move away from the heat source, tend to drink a lot and ruffle their feathers, they probably feel too hot, a condition that can lead them to become dehydrated.
How to tell if chicks are cold
If we see that the chicks tend not to move, move closer to the heat source or if they tend to huddle together, it is a sign that they feel cold. We can also touch their feet to ascertain if they are cold, and see if we need to increase the heating.
How to protect chicks from the cold
The chicken coop is designed to house cocks, hens and chicks, and to be cosy it must keep them safe from draughts and moisture. This is why it is necessary in winter to clear away all traces of snow, perhaps by placing a layer of straw to keep the birds' feet warm. If the cold is too bitter, a heater can be placed in the poultry house to be switched on when temperatures drop below 5 degrees Celsius.
If you want to see all our products Click here.