No Heat lamp at week 2?

I am currently on week two of Easter Egger chick life. It is 92 degrees outside in VA at the moment. The room that I'm keeping the chicks in has an ambient temp of 87 degrees. I know on week two I am supposed to move up the lamp so that it maintains a temp of around 90 degrees.

Currently I have tried raising the heatlamp as far as I possibly can without hanging it from my ceiling and the little guys want nothing to do with that side of the brooder. When it's on they flee to the opposite side of the brooder as far from the lamp as they possibly can go. I tried unplugging the lamp just to see what would happen and they began to spread out all over the brooder, seemingly not cuddling for warmth and proceeded to fall asleep.

I'm just a bit worried about leaving the lamp off this early in the game as they're only two weeks and I don't want them to get chilled. Today's high is supposed to be 93, tomorrow is 95 and the day after is 96. You guys think I should just leave it off and closely monitor them? I don't wanna roast the little guys.

I'd leave it off for sure.

They are telling you they are to hot. Leave it off maybe leave the room light on though.

Mercibelle said:

I know on week two I am supposed to move up the lamp so that it maintains a temp of around 90 degrees.

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Broody hens don't read that rule book and they do pretty well raising chicks. The chicks behaviors will tell you how they are doing much better than any thermometer. Your chicks are telling you that they are too hot. That message couldn't be much clearer.

I understand somebody new needs some guidelines as to what to do until they get some experience. And they are really worried about hurting their chicks. They think there are rigid rules that have to be followed. That is seldom the case, there is usually a range that works. And you can get all kinds of different guidelines on this forum. I've seen people say you should start a brooder off at 100 F then drop it by 5 degrees F each week. Others say start at 95 and drop it 5. Others may say start at 90 F and drop by 5 each week. I don't say any of those. I like a brooder that has one spot that is warm enough in the coldest temperatures and also a spot (probably a different spot) that is cool enough in the warmest conditions. Then let the chicks decide where they want to be.

So what is warm enough? To me anything 90 F or above works either straight out of the incubator or if they are much older as long as they can get to a cool spot. How cool is cool enough. That's hard to answer. You can't get below ambient. But let if get as cool as you can. In winter mine may be below freezing in the far end but the warm area stays toasty.

Mercibelle said:

I'm just a bit worried about leaving the lamp off this early in the game as they're only two weeks and I don't want them to get chilled. Today's high is supposed to be 93, tomorrow is 95 and the day after is 96. You guys think I should just leave it off and closely monitor them? I don't wanna roast the little guys.

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At those highs you don't need any supplement heat. How low will your temps drop in that building at night? That will determine whether you need supplemental heat or not. I'm fully in favor of turning the heat off during the day and monitoring as it cools down.

Mercibelle said:

Currently I have tried raising the heatlamp as far as I possibly can without hanging it from my ceiling

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What sort of bulb are you using?

I've gone as low as stealing the 40w bulb from my bedside lamp when I needed to take just a little chill off a 70+ night when some of the 2-3 week chicks didn't have any feathers.

I turned mine off. I’m in Illinois and the heat is going up to above 100. They are in a small area without a/c but I have a fan from the next room blowing up to the ceiling. More to just circulate air. My thermometer in their coop is still reading above 90. But I have a thermometer setting outside their brooder that will go in their coop and is reading about 85. I’m not gonna worry about it until they are huddled together. I will probably put it back on tonight temp pending. Without humidity it’s supposed to be about 70.

Btw mine are 2 weeks, 5 days old.

racyfamily said:

I turned mine off. I’m in Illinois and the heat is going up to above 100. They are in a small area without a/c but I have a fan from the next room blowing up to the ceiling. More to just circulate air. My thermometer in their coop is still reading above 90. But I have a thermometer setting outside their brooder that will go in their coop and is reading about 85. I’m not gonna worry about it until they are huddled together. I will probably put it back on tonight temp pending. Without humidity it’s supposed to be about 70.

Btw mine are 2 weeks, 5 days old.

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I just checked on my littles and the outside temp is setting around 85 and inside their brooder is closer to 95. All are sleeping and spread out.

Instead of turning off the heat, I move them to a larger brooder so they have plenty of room to either get away from the heat or move toward it as they see fit. They larger brooder also has lots of perches and junk to maneuver around so they get more exercise and can start roosting. When they are fully featherd they are moved again to still larger quarters with no heat.

I'm super worried I'm doing something all wrong.
My chicks are bouncing between heat lamp and no heat lamp currently. Its about 82 to 83 degrees ambient in their room. They are generally quiet, but when the temp drops, I turn on the heat lamp. I can only leave it on for a total of about 10 mins and about 3 of my chicks start panting. They have room to move away from the lamp, but seemingly don't and huddle with the other chicks that are fine with the lamp.

All are eating and drinking normally. But the panting guys really worry me because I know that means they are really really hot. I'm afraid to leave the lamp off due to the other 5 chicks as I don't want them to get chilled, but I am also worried about my 3 that are obviously hot. Should I move the three to a different box and leave the 5 under the lamp?

I know I'm probably waaay overthinking this an worrying/panicking for no reason at all. But I really don't want to hurt them or lose any of them due to a stupid mistake. They're all so healthy currently and minus this issue seem to be doing great.

I'd put in a smaller bulb.