when to take away the lamp? - Page 2

If chicks born out in the field didn't have a broodie mom they would perish. Hence the name  brooder, for a place for young chicks to mature and aclimate to outside temps.

First, I use a huge brooder, actually a trailer, 5x8 that has 2 ft sides. It suggests a much larger world to them than a small tub of some kind.

I have two lamps, one 250watt and another 150 watt.  The chicks can seek whatever temperature they prefer.  One "spot" is quite warm 85-90F, the other "spot" is warm around 70F, and the rest of the brooder is ambient, with some residual heat 60F or less.  By 4 weeks, they are more likely to be found playing and napping in the "cooler" areas and avoiding the hot spot.

Last spring one of my pullets insisted on being broody and raised 3 chicks.  The first week they stayed with her feathers after that only at night did they need to be close and I think yours will be okay too so long as they are out of draft.
Caroline

I think the best way, as with many things is to just watch the babies carefully if you plan on moving the heat away. It sounds to me like not all chicks are the same and some 2 weeks will like it cooler than others and so on and so forth. My 4 chicks and 1 duck are about 2-ish weeks and growing fast. They all have nice little wings now (with which they enjoy flapping clumsily around the brooder floor with like they are little hawks) They pant if the lamp is too close so that is one sign and they huddle to the darkest corners. The lamp is currently about 3 ft. from the brooder floor at the closest spot, and generally they sleep and dig in the further side. I am moving the lamp up again today. And, yeah mine have always slept around the duck cuz she is bigger.