Just got some chickens!

So i just got some chickens, and a thermometer and heat lamp and everything, Now currently its dark outside, so all my chicks should be sleeping yes? they have an internal clock to tell when its night time? The heat lamp is the only light on in the room, they were too hot before i believe, as they were panting, so i moved the container away from the heat lamp, but when i turned on the room light they got up and moved around and ate and drank a bit, but i turned off the room light and they all seem to be sleeping together. they were panting even though the temp was at 90 degrees, as i assume these are two week old chicks, i believe TSC has had them that long.

Slim,

Ensure the box they are in is large enough for them to get away from the heat lamp when they get too hot. Of course they need clean water to drink all the time. The chicks will sleep off and on, just like babies they are.

Ours free range once we open the door to the chicken coop. Red Tailed Hawks take some, and so do the foxes - but they are content and in beautiful shape.

Their eggs will be deelishous!

Ray

I'm using the largest blue rubbermade type tub i could find at the store, From the pictures i saw it seems alot of people use these. I'm still adjusting the heat lamp and watching the chicks reaction.

Do i need another source of light besides the heat lamp on in the room?

No other light needed...

How big is the tote? Or in other words, how far away from the heat lamp can they get?

RAy

I think its about 3 feet long inside by 2 feet wide or so. May be bigger, even if i move the light away, it still lights the whole inside of the bin, and i see two chicks panting, but the others are fine. they dont seem to not be eating or drinking. Also how can i raise them outside, i dont know how i can protect them outside on an unenclosed porch.

If its to hot in the tote, get a lesser wattage bulb.
Or place the heat lamp further back.
Chicks should not pant unless they are real active or running.
I place the light always over a what ever I use as a brooder on one side, this way the chicks can go to the other side of the brooder without heat if they want.
In other words get a bigger tote or what ever, and only have the heat lamp on one side.

How can i tell my chickens are panting, i saw some of them had their beaks open as they were sitting, not chirping or anything, but the other peeps seemed to be fine, When the chicken thermometer was reading 95 the peeps seemed to be too hot.

HI;
Like Ray said, make sure they are in a box that allows them to get away from the heat lamp. You will see that the chicks will control the heat that they receive by moving under or away from the heat lamp as conditions dictate. I also control the heat by moving the lamp up or down in relation to the chicks. Also, make sure that you doubly secure the heat lamp. Chicken coops that go up in flames do so because of a poorly secured heat lamp that falls onto the litter in the coop or box.
I have purchased chicks from Tractor Supply in the past. Turned out to be pretty good chickens. They are going into their second year and still laying. I think that Tractor Supply gets them from Mt. Healthy Hatchery in Ohio.
If possible go free range. I let my chickens out of the coop in the morning and they are out all day scratching and exploring. Yes, you do lose some to coyotes or foxes but at least they went out happy. By going free range (no fence at all) you save greatly on feed, the chickens are content, sickness is not a problem and nobody is pecking on another chicken (stress free chickens). Along with the hens I have three roosters and there is no problem with the roosters fighting and this is because I have enough hens and they are not confined other than at night in the coop. Yes, they all start heading back to the coop about 45 minutes before sunset.

I'll post a pic of my brooder in the morning when I get home. In the mean time, move your lamp up and point in the corner. They need to be able to get away from the heat when they get too hot.

I did, i also secured the lamp with a piece of paracord until i see if i can borrow my neighbors brooder box to put outside in the barn.

Drill some holes in the tote so they can get some air movement. They also like to see outside of their house.Start with the heat lamp only shining over about a 1/3 over the tub.They will move in and out of the heat. You absolutely have to keep clean water for them and lots of it.

Here is my brooder. It is appx 4 feet by 30 inches. You can see where the chicks are laying. Close enough to be warm, but far enough not to cook.

rule of thumb is chicks need 95 degrees the first week then drop the temp 5 degrees each week after. I have found that chicks will hang out under the light if cool but when to hot they stay away from it. Try raising your light or use a 100 watt light bulb instead of a heat bulb.

Here is my brooder setup.
If the chicks want under the lamp they can go, if they want out from under the lamp they can escape the heat.

Can i mix in some chickens that i buy at TSC today with the ones that I already have, they seem to be about a week-2 weeks old, and the ones TSC has are a bit younger.

SHOULD be fine at that age.

Hey Rockyriver, nice brooder, you are like me, way over built....

Yeah, I tend to over engineer everything, I must have OCD.

But thats what happens when you got time on your hands and want things to last that you build.

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