How old can baby chicks sleep in the dark?

Sarah and Joey

In the Brooder
7 Years
Nov 11, 2012
62
1
41
I have a silky baby chick who is now 4 weeks old.
We live in the UK and its really cold outside (just had snow) so I think she'll be indoors with us for a while.
She's in her own brooder box which we've had a heat lamp in- started at 90 degrees, it's now down to 70.
As it's so cold outside we have the heating on so its pretty warm in here at the mo.
Wanting to try get her into a sleeping at night routine, is it OK to turn the lamp of during the night so that's dark or with her only being 4 weeks old does she need to be eating & drinking through the night still??
Also she has learnt to tuck her head behind her wing to sleep but doesn't do it very often. She tends to dip her head forward then as she nods it wakes her again so she seems to be sleeping for maybe 30 seconds at a time.
I know how grouchy I am after not having a goodnights sleep - are chickens the same??
Is there anything I can do to try encourage her to sleep with her head tucked behind??

**I know its a lots of questions but I'm new to being a chicken owner so would appreciate any advice xx
 
Hi,we are presently raising one month old silkies,phoenixs and plymouth rock chicks here in Maine. We keep the brooder in the sunroom at 70 with just a 60 watt lamp on 24 hrs. a day.Tried shutting the light off at night but they objected and would not sleep without it on.The light doesn't provide much heat so they cuddle up and sleep together.
 
My chicks sleep in the dark at night from day one (I don't use a heat lamp).
And if they're with their momma, they're sleeping during the night because mom is.
They do not need to be eating/drinking throughout the night.
They WILL eat and drink at night if the light is on because that's all they do anyway.
If the room the chick is in is warm (above 60), you do not need to add the heat lamp anymore.
It would, of course, be BEST to have other chicks for this little one to snuggle with, but if that's not possible, just make sure she's warm enough.
Good luck!
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Thanks for the advice, I've already turned off the heat lamp & after a bit of chirping she seems to have settled down. Gonna try turn off the room light in a mo and see how she goes.
We did have 18 eggs in a incubator, unfortunately only 2 hatched & I'm afraid little fluffy died at only a week old. (She wouldn't peck-but that's another sad story)
Do feel that she looks lonely sometimes - I do keep clucking at her!!
We do have four older silky hens & 1 cock, will we be able to put our baby in the coop eventually, as she hasn't had interaction with other chickens since the first week will she be bullied by the others??
 
I have 10 chickens and i turn the light off every night i have question for you and i want to know if chickens can see in the dark? Hope to hear back from you soon thank you.
 

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