# My chicks are indoors,should I still put heat on them? I gave them my ostrich feather



## triplemock (May 9, 2014)

I've always acquired juveniles or grown hens, I have seven chicks,six of which are one week old,and one silkie that two weeks old. They'll be kept inside until they are big enough to hang with the flock. My chickens are free range and my dogs are amazing guardians. I keep reading that they "have" to have a heat source, but my fluffy duster seems to work great, lots of warmth coming off it when their all huddled in it. Do I need the "heat"? Inside? Also I noticed the silkie running in circles? Other than that it's fine? Very curious as to why?! I'm a newbie to babies.


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## Jim (Sep 26, 2012)

Yes, they need to be 90-95 the first week in life, then drop by 5 degrees each week until fully feathered. The chicks don't put off enough heat, and I doubt the duster puts off heat either. 


Jim


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

The reason we have to provide heat for peeps is their undeveloped temperature regulators. They just don't have the ability to keep themselves warm enough and it can be difficult to raise their body temperature when it drops too far.


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## triplemock (May 9, 2014)

I have a heated pad for my puppy litters that I put under them on the lowest setting. Is this to much?


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## triplemock (May 9, 2014)

Thank you all for the input,greatly appreciated I love this forum.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

What does the temp say when the thermo is laying on the pad?


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## triplemock (May 9, 2014)

It's a very low settings, it's for fragile puppies. My Pomeranian gets the royalty treatment when she has a litter about once a year. It's waterproof. I keep checking on them and their so happy they do like the heat. The brooder is very large. Will they move if they feel to warm? One of them stays to itself but is still on the heat pad. I'm in love, and I really want to be a "good"mom to them. My silkie is fragile and I get that, it would kill me to see the chick hurt


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

The Silkie shouldn't be any more fragile than the others. My oldest will be 9 years in Aug. You just won't find it flying around the room like the others will be once their feathers are in. 

Confused here. Of course I'm just starting my morning coffee. I'm guessing the brooder is large enough that they can move to an area where the pad is not. But the one still on it, take note. Make certain it does join the others at some point.


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## triplemock (May 9, 2014)

Thank you Robin, I've so stressed about giving them excellent care,yes,the pad only takes up a small corner of the brooder.this morning none were using it,should I leave it on? Giving them crickets was amazing,at first they didn't know to chase them,but once it started,none of the crickets got loose I love them sooo much,I should have gotten babies a long time ago. The silkie is a bluish grey color, I have no idea the sex of the chicks or how to figure it out,all have quite a few feathers already.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

I would leave it on. That way if one gets chilled it has a place to go to to warm back up. (was that enough to's almost in a row?) When I let the girls hatch in the coop during the Winter there was always a warming station for the chicks to retreat to while Mom was up doing Mom stuff.

You'll be waiting a while on the Silkie chick. It can take from four to 8 months to figure out the sex.


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