Will I need a heat lamp?

[BriannaR]

Hello all! Second post on BYC! Think I know the answer to this but feeling a bit apprehensive about moving my chicks outside…

My chicks will be 6 weeks old this Saturday, and my plan was to move them into the coop that day. I have 8 chicks, mix of olive and Easter egger. To my untrained eye, they do seem to almost be fully feathered with just a few downy bits left on their heads. Temps here will be in the low 40s at night, 60s during the day. They are currently in a brooder in my house, with the temp ranging from 66-70. I have a brinsea heat plate in the brooder overnight only, I remove it in the morning.

Will I need any kind of supplementary heat for them once they go outside? Should I still be putting the heat plate in the brooder at night?

Thank you!!!

 

[SandyRiverChick]

My opinion, if your coop is nice n tight no drafts/wind, the body heat from 8 even if not fully feathered should be enough. I would definitely not use a heat lamp but if it makes you feel better go ahead and put the heat plate out with them. You're changing up their life so they might just like the plate for security even if they don't need heat. They'll certainly decide. Mine were in exact same temps at 6 weeks and I left their MHP on low until about 8weeks.

 

[BriannaR]

My opinion, if your coop is nice n tight no drafts/wind, the body heat from 8 even if not fully feathered should be enough. I would definitely not use a heat lamp but if it makes you feel better go ahead and put the heat plate out with them. You're changing up their life so they might just like the plate for security even if they don't need heat. They'll certainly decide. Mine were in exact same temps at 6 weeks and I left their MHP on low until about 8weeks.

Thank you! I think I will put the heat plate with them, just in case…

 

[rosemarythyme]

I have 4 week olds out in similar temps, no heat. I'd fully wean them off their dependency on heat and then move them out.