What indicates that baby chicks are too cold under the brooder light?

When baby chicks are too cold under the brooder light, they will exhibit behavior where they huddle together under the light. This clustering is a natural instinct to conserve heat and maintain body warmth. Chicks seek warmth as they cannot regulate their body temperature effectively during their early life stages. Therefore, if you observe them gathering closely underneath the light, it indicates they are attempting to warm up because they feel cold, and the temperature in the brooder is insufficient.

In a well-regulated environment, chicks would spread out comfortably throughout the brooder area, indicating they are warm enough. If they are too far from the light, it suggests they don’t find it necessary to remain close for warmth. Additionally, chicks that feather out quickly and those that are restless may indicate different conditions, such as proper warmth or possibly other stress factors, but do not specifically point to being too cold.