Almost 5 weeks old, heat lamp in brooder? If not, is semi darkness OK?

[Kaesi2020]

Hi all! My almost five week old chicks (6 of them) are still in their indoor brooder (three extra large boxes connected with basically different rooms-feeding, sleeping, exercise room). The temps outside today/tomorrow are low 30s at night, 50s in day. There is snow on the ground. We are planning on keeping them indoors this way for atleast half a week more (end of next week temps in 60s in day and 50s at night.

My question is, should I keep their heat lamp on? It is 80 degrees in the heat lamp portion of the brooder and 71 in the other two sections of the brooder. If I turn it off, it is pretty dark due to the top coverings i have over the brooder...is that Ok?

Any suggestions would be great looking forward to them going outside and growing up but still waiting to make sure the time is right weather wise.

 

[azygous]

Just switch out the heat bulb for a 60watter. But leave the light off at night. Your chicks should be heat weaned by now. If you want them to be able to move into their coop, turning off the heat will acclimatize them to cooler temps.

The best thing you can do for your chicks is to let them spend days out in their run as long as the temps are in the 50s and above.

 

[Kaesi2020]

Just switch out the heat bulb for a 60watter. But leave the light off at night. Your chicks should be heat weaned by now. If you want them to be able to move into their coop, turning off the heat will acclimatize them to cooler temps.

The best thing you can do for your chicks is to let them spend days out in their run as long as the temps are in the 50s and above.

Thank you for the information. Do you think high 40s and sunny be OK to let them out for a while today? There is still a little snow out there but it is melting.

 

[TLCMidMichigan]

With that much cold, I would switch to a 125 watt lamp during the day. Considering your using a 250 red bulb. Not as much heat but an amount to help. Do the chicks have a lot of feathers yet? If so the reduction of heat is good. They can get used to less heat and use their own body heat.

 

[azygous]

Feathers are good insulators. So is consuming calories. That's why chicks don't need much eat during the day while they are consuming food. They're stoking their furnaces.

As long as there is no chill breeze, snow on the ground is immaterial. Watch the chicks for signs of chilling when you have them outside. They will huddle together and make their little trilling sounds if they feel cold. That's your signal they've had enough for one day. Increase the time spent outside each day, and soon they will need no heat during the day.

Keep in mind that a broody hen will usually wean her chicks by five or six weeks.