7 week old chicks in Coop. We live in Seattle--down to 40's at night. Do I need a light/heater?

My 4-7 week old bantam chicks outgrew the bathtub so I moved them into their coop--a Precision Extreme Cape Cod


about 5 nights ago. The 250 watt light is in the right corner of the coop, where you see the smaller chicks (not a picture of my coop). At night when I turn on the light, the chicks just huddle up right under the light. It would be much warmer if they actually went up the ramp into the coop, but they won't do that. When I physically put them up there, they run right back down.

We're down into the 40's now in the Seattle area. Do the chicks need heat? I don't want to take away the light if it's going to be detrimental to them. I have 2 Silkies, 1 Polish, and 1 Japense (all bantams). I would really appreciate any advice. I have never raised chickens before and I don't want to harm them.

Thanks for your expertise!

If chicks have been raised artificially, via brooder, the heat source should be removed gradually so as not to have such dramatic temperature changes.

Nice coop!

I think they are plenty old enough to be okay, but I agree with weaning them off the light. Also, I'm on the east coast, but the girl I got my silkies from said some of her bantams did need a heater in the winter, so I'd be extra careful.

Put the light inside the henhouse, just be sure to secure it at least 2 different ways and definitely don't only rely on the clamp. I would also assume you only need to turn it on at night. Leave them in the henhouse for most of a whole day or maybe more to help them learn where to sleep. Cover the nest boxes so they don't learn to sleep in them

Disclaimer: I am a first time owner of chickens, but I've spent disturbing amounts of time on byc already

Also, I have four chicks 6-7 weeks old in the garage in Portland and I am definitely still leaving the heat lamp on for them...but will wean them off soon since the coop is almost done!

Best of luck!

If they are not being pecked by the older chicken then put them in coop and close the door at night. Without wind they will be plenty warm. If your still concerned then use a light bulb for a heat source at night not a heat lamp. At 7 weeks they shouldn't need additional heat as feathered out and have brooder mates for warmth. Just force them to coop at night.

I'm not very familiar with fahrenheit temps- thats still above freezing isnt it?
At that age they should be OK without heat entirely.

I would have your bulb/elec inside the coop out of the weather. A small watt bulb would be much better with a smallish coop. I use a 250 watt bulb in our coops but they are large coops so that the chicks have plenty of room to move to whatever distance they wish from the heat source to be comfortable. Without heat they will be OK and end up huddling in the coop to stay warm.

By the way..... Great looking set-up!!

Thanks for all of the help! Yep, the temps are above freezing. It hasn't gotten down to freezing for several weeks now. I like the idea of the chicks getting the right idea of where to sleep. If I move them up to the top and block off the brooder boxes, do I need to keep food up there? Or can they go overnight without food and water?

The chicks all get along really well. I tought it was weird, but none of them peck. Chirpzilla (the big white silkie) keeps order and I havn't seen them getting pecked at all. I'm wondering if I should put the light on the timer? I could definitely have my husband install a smaller bulb inside the coop for next winter that goes off on a timer.

Many thanks from the Newbie!

I now have 2 silkies, 1 Japanese, 1 Polish, all 7 weeks, as well as 1 Cochin black Frizzle (3 days) and 1 D'Uccle Mille Fleur (10 days). The two new chicks are in the bathtub. From what people have said, looks like I'll have find homes for at least Chirpzilla and Tux. Hopefully Cinder and Frenchie are girls!

After I moved my chicks outside at four and a half weeks, we put the food and water out in the run and locked it up in a bin at night. We are very careful to let them out soon after the sun comes up and they go straight for the water, then the food, but they are fine. They usually have a softball sized crop built up by the time they go in the coop at night!