4 weeks old, can I remove supplemental heat?

[KimbosKluckers]

6, 4 week old (and a couple days) chicks have been in a brooder in my shed. I need to acclimate them to outside but the weather is usually nasty. If it’s not snowing then it’s very windy. Highs are upper 50’s and lows are mid 30’s. Now they’ve been in a heated shed set to 50F but they also have a ceramic bulb making the brooder around 75ish. Can I eliminate the bulb now? It will get around 60 during the day and 50 at night. I plan to take them into their run an hour or so each day (weather depending &supervised) and back to brooder for a week or so. Anything wrong with this?
Oh they are mostly feathered in, a bit of fluff on the head still.

 

[SandyRiverChick]

Wish I could give a definitive answer but you're right at the fine line... Mine are the same age dealing with same temps and a heat source (MHP.) I've been watching their behavior to see if it's time to remove heat but they do huddle under the heat as soon as I cut the light at night. So.. not quite yet is where we're at but give it another week and answer will probably be yes.

 

[KimbosKluckers]

Wish I could give a definitive answer but you're right at the fine line... Mine are the same age dealing with same temps and a heat source (MHP.) I've been watching their behavior to see if it's time to remove heat but they do huddle under the heat as soon as I cut the light at night. So.. not quite yet is where we're at but give it another week and answer will probably be yes.

Got it. They really don’t huddle the lamp all day but usually at night. I think I’ll turn off the bulb during the day and back on at night for a week. Then totally off for good. Shed will still be 50. I love them but man they need to go outside

 

[CHICKENX2005]

Mine don't ever get supplemental heat past 4 weeks. ( not even my normal chicks that I occasionally buy from public sources like feed stores or hatcheries ) but I can't say if yours still need supplemental heat or not.

 

[azygous]

My rule of thumb is when they are covered in real feathers, they no longer need heat during the day, usually around age three weeks. That may seem young, but as long as they are consuming calories, they are keeping their body heat at optimum levels and the feathers insulate against it being lost. I do continue to offer heat at night, though, since they aren't consuming calories at night and their small body mass can lose heat overnight. By age six or eight weeks, they need no heat at night unless it's sub zero.

 

[KimbosKluckers]

Mine don't ever get supplemental heat past 4 weeks. ( not even my normal chicks that I occasionally buy from public sources like feed stores or hatcheries ) but I can't say if yours still need supplemental heat or not.

Thank you. I think I’ll start with no heat during the day then gradually take it away at night when they’re over 5 weeks.

My rule of thumb is when they are covered in real feathers, they no longer need heat during the day, usually around age three weeks. That may seem young, but as long as they are consuming calories, they are keeping their body heat at optimum levels and the feathers insulate against it being lost. I do continue to offer heat at night, though, since they aren't consuming calories at night and their small body mass can lose heat overnight. By age six or eight weeks, they need no heat at night unless it's sub zero.

Ok during the night only for now and maybe at 5.5-6 weeks I’ll take it away at night. The ambient temperature will still be 50. Thanks!

 

[rosemarythyme]

I cut off heat completely around 4 weeks, but yes you have to look at how well they're feathered in to help decide. Yours sound like they should handle it fine. They do not need to be fully feathered (the head feathers in last, or close to it), but should have pretty decent feather growth on the body before you remove heat.

 

[KimbosKluckers]

I cut off heat completely around 4 weeks, but yes you have to look at how well they're feathered in to help decide. Yours sound like they should handle it fine. They do not need to be fully feathered (the head feathers in last, or close to it), but should have pretty decent feather growth on the body before you remove heat.

Ok thanks so much for always putting up with my newbie questions