Baby chicks- do they need light at night

[Chold05]

Just got my second batch of chicks. Im raising them with a heat plate this time instead of a heat lamp.

They’re inside my house, near windows, so they get natural light throughout the day.

But do they need a night light?

I have actual night lights I can use or I have my old red incandescent bulb.

 

[nuthatched]

It's better for them to get used to day an night cycles

 

[rosemarythyme]

They do not need light at night. I prefer for them to sleep through the night so they're quiet and not eating around the clock (so their crops will empty overnight).

 

[5Australorpasaures]

I also like them to have a natural night and day cycle. It worked well as they were set up in a room with Easterly and N West windows. Same with the coop with a solid North wall to block winter winds.

 

[CrazyChickenLadySue]

Just got my second batch of chicks. Im raising them with a heat plate this time instead of a heat lamp.

They’re inside my house, near windows, so they get natural light throughout the day.

But do they need a night light?

I have actual night lights I can use or I have my old red incandescent bulb.

I give any failure to thrive chicks and chicks hatched upto 1 week old with lights at night as it gives them extra time to feed which may in my opinion give them a better chance of survival due to the extra nutrients they ingest but I do agee that after that it is necessary to get them used to day and night cycles.

They do seem to be growing more quickly than other chicks I have had previously that I haven't done this with.

I may be completely wrong in doing this and if so please let me know but that is my opinion at the moment.

 

[beercity]

Wow I just came here to ask this question and here the answer already is!

I just cut off the heat light on our 12 day old chicks. They all seem extremely healthy, and they have had access to heat plate in addition to heat lamp for the past 2 days. I’ve seen them go under there so I guess they will figure out it’s warm. I caught all but 1 of them sleeping under the heat plate earlier today.

My only concern is that I see from the camera that they are up and eating many times during the night, so I was worried that without the heat light, they won’t get enough to eat and might not find the food or be too scared to find it. Sounds like it’s nothing to worry about though and by this they will be ok?

 

[rosemarythyme]

My only concern is that I see from the camera that they are up and eating many times during the night, so I was worried that without the heat light, they won’t get enough to eat and might not find the food or be too scared to find it. Sounds like it’s nothing to worry about though and by this they will be ok?

They should sleep through the night without light - they do not need to eat and drink at night.

 

[beercity]

Thank you! It seems like the answer to most questions is to just keep them fed and love them and then leave them alone. Amazing how much they just figure out on their own. We came home just now and 7 of the 8 were under the heat plate. One was out and looking grumpy but maybe that’s the lookout.

 

[beercity]

They should sleep through the night without light - they do not need to eat and drink at night.

So I dimmed the lights last night, helped them all find their way to the brooder plate. 5 of them snuggled in under there, two decided they were more comfortable on top. Turned off the light, and one jerk just starts the angry chirps. I let her go for about 10 minutes, shes just chirping very loudly, so I stuff her under the plate, she makes a big ruckus under there and pops back out.
Honestly, I have the Ecoglow 20 and I feel like although its rated for 20 chicks, anything older than day-olds, you cant fit 20 under there. With my almost 2 week old chicks, I feel like its too small for 8.
We had planned to build a wool hen, that might be a project for today because I feel like some of them are understanding the heat plate but not all of them, and even if they do get it, if its not already too cramped, it will be in a few days.
Long story short, I caved and gave them back the heat lamp last night. Will probably cut them off this morning and see how the day goes.