3 1/2 week old chicks without heat lamp?

[Venusmarsdoodlenoodle]

I’m not sure if this is the right forum for this to go in, but do you think it is okay to have 3 1/2 week old chicks without a heat lamp? We are leaving for about 3 days and I think and our house can stay about 70-75 degrees with heat and maybe even warmer. It would be a safety hazard to have the lamp on when we are not home. Someone is checking in on them 2 times a day but still, the heat lamp could start a fire. One of the chicks though, is not developing feathers as well as the others (we got the from a feed store and they’re supposed to be all girls) so will she be okay? She still has a good amount of feathers though. We have 4 chicks by the way. But anyway, wondering what you guys think about having them without a heat lamp, and if you don’t think it’s a good idea, what other methods could we use to keep them warm?

This is the chick that doesn’t have as many feathers as the others

And these are the other ones (see how they have more shoulder and back feathers and the picture doesn’t show it but they have more chest feathers as well)

Ps they are not 3 1/2 weeks old yet but when we leave they will be (we are leaving on Sunday)

 

[bobbi-j]

Turn off the heat lamp now and see how they do. That should give you a good idea.

 

[A.M. Eggs]

It is normal for some chicks to grow feathers slower than others. I had a EE Cockerel take 4 months to completely get all of his feathers in.

That is his brother on the right. he is looking at the camera.

 

[debid]

Is the coop ready? Another option might be installing the lamp out in the coop and putting them there instead. Hang the lamp with chain so you could swing on it if you wanted and you'll worry less.