How long do chicks need to be under a light?

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teriid856

teriid856

Chirping
12 Years
Jul 6, 2007
15
10
77
My new Rhode Island Goldens are 7 weeks old now. I'm wondering how long I need to keep them with a light on. I shut it off during the day and open up the front of their liitle coop. They seem to love it. But at night I plug the light back in and close the front.
Second question. I have a 1 year old Barred Plymouth Rock hen. I close her in a 12'x12' aviary w/a coop at night. She free ranges during the day. When can I add the chicks to her area? And what should I watch for. Of course, they'll not be allowed to free range for at least 6 mths. Thanks for your help. Terri and Chicklet ( I haven't named the babies yet)
jumpy.gif
 
The light is mostly for heat - not light. They are old enough now that if the temperature is staying steady around 70 degrees you don't need to use it at all anymore.

Generally, you shouldn't introduce young chickens (chicks) to adult chickens until they are the same size. Then, you want to introduce them through a fence for a few days or week before actually putting them together.

Keep a close eye on them, they will have to work out the pecking order but should be fine after a few days.
 
Thanks for your quick reply.
I did already know the light was for heat. I plug it back in at night cause here in Southern NJ it still gets chilly at night. Today it rained and the high was only 52* so I kept the light on all day with the front flap semi opened.
I read that some of the folks on this site are letting their 5 wk olds out with them in the yard. Maybe I'll try that tomorrow, supposed to be nice out.
I'm scared to add them together as Chicklet already killed one of her fellow hens. Last year I started w/3. I didn't know what was happening, as a newbie, until it was too late. I think they were bored, it was before I was letting them out at all. Then Bitty went in w/the goats and got stuck in the pygmyes house and she was trampled. So Chicklet is my big baby. She runs to me whenever she sees me, she even sits at the door and waits for me. Scared she'll hurt the new chicks though.
 
My chicks are going on 5 weeks and have begun to feather out well. Here in Michigan, our daytime temps are in the 60s and our nighttime temps in the 40s. I have been leaving the light on 24 hours but they now ignore it during the day and spend most of their time in the run. At night, they tend to sit around the edge of the light's reach rather than directly below it. I have it 20" off the ground. About a third of my chicks are roosting at night away from the light. I plan to leave it in place for a couple more weeks and then remove it from the coop.
 
Quote:
Yea I like it real well, just a site I stumbled across on accident one night. It should be required reading and part of a FAQ with all the light and temp questions.

I tried to print it once and it that didn't work, with the frame and tables layout.
 

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