Am I making a mistake?? What is happening?

[z3lda3]

Hi! I’ve got 4, 5 week old RSLs. They’ve been and still are in my LIVING ROOM. They’ve been in a brooder, and I took the heat lamp out a couple days ago. They’re about 75% feathered. And it’s 76 degrees in here. For the past 2 nights when I turn the out the light (we still have a dim lamp on) these gals go bonkers. Chirping and cheeping and one apparently plays the kazoo. They’ve got food, water, not huddled together like they’re cold. I have to play lullaby’s to get them to settle down and go to sleep. The kazoo player is the last to get quiet but eventually she goes to sleep. Why are they doing this? And what should I do? Once they’re outside in the coop am I going to have to play the radio all night??

 

[thecatumbrella]

Our chicks behaved the same way when they were upstairs and we just cut the lights. I learned to simulate sunset with dimmer bulbs and that did the trick. Can you put them in another area with a window for natural light/sunset? They have trouble seeing in low light, so losing their bearings too quickly will result in lots of noise!

 

[rosemarythyme]

They're used to having a light on all the time. When you turn the light off, are you gradually dimming it or turning it off all at once? If it's latter, that's scary to them.

If you don't have dimmers, another option is to put them in a room next to a bright window and let the sunset decide their nighttime for them, without you adding artificial light.

What you should do - get them acclimated to outside temps and boot them outside. Let them scream in the coop. They'll get over it.

 

[z3lda3]

Our chicks behaved the same way when they were upstairs and we just cut the lights. I learned to simulate sunset with dimmer bulbs and that did the trick. Can you put them in another area with a window for natural light/sunset? They have trouble seeing in low light, so losing their bearings too quickly will result in lots of noise!

Actually I can put them in the bedroom, in front of a window if that will help. I thought with a lamp on, it wouldn’t be so abrupt. Did music calm your chickies down too? Once yours were outside did they get quieter at night? Is it possible to “spoil” chicks?

 

[z3lda3]

They're used to having a light on all the time. When you turn the light off, are you gradually dimming it or turning it off all at once? If it's latter, that's scary to them.

If you don't have dimmers, another option is to put them in a room next to a bright window and let the sunset decide their nighttime for them, without you adding artificial light.

What you should do - get them acclimated to outside temps and boot them outside. Let them scream in the coop. They'll get over it.

Lol ah the ol tough love idea..I am acclimating them-I think. They’re outside during the day for 2-3 hours at a time. It’s been in the 70s here. I never thought I’d be playing lullaby’s for chickens. I think I have issues..

 

[rosemarythyme]

Lol ah the ol tough love idea..I am acclimating them-I think. They’re outside during the day for 2-3 hours at a time. It’s been in the 70s here. I never thought I’d be playing lullaby’s for chickens. I think I have issues..

There's no need for lullabies. Yes you're spoiling them. If it's in the 70s at night they 100% should be out already, no heat (or lullabies) needed.

 

[z3lda3]

There's no need for lullabies. Yes you're spoiling them. If it's in the 70s at night they 100% should be out already, no heat (or lullabies) needed.

No lullabies?? What kind of monster are you? It’s only 45/50 at night. But a couple more weeks it’ll be nice and warm here at night. Hopefully being outside full time will bring a natural order to things. And hopefully the kazoo player learns to keep a tune!

 

[rosemarythyme]

No lullabies?? What kind of monster are you? It’s only 45/50 at night. But a couple more weeks it’ll be nice and warm here at night. Hopefully being outside full time will bring a natural order to things. And hopefully the kazoo player learns to keep a tune!

I'm a true monster, 2-3 day old chicks go immediately into the outdoor brooder. I can't stand the constant peep peep peep, I just want them to grow up!

At 5 weeks old, healthy chicks can handle 45/50. Get them outside during days (a bit of the early evening too would help expose them to lower temps) for a few more days, then move them out.

 

[z3lda3]

I'm a true monster, 2-3 day old chicks go immediately into the outdoor brooder. I can't stand the constant peep peep peep, I just want them to grow up!

At 5 weeks old, healthy chicks can handle 45/50. Get them outside during days (a bit of the early evening too would help expose them to lower temps) for a few more days, then move them out.

Will do, thanks! I love them, but I’m ready to get the livestock out of my living room. And no doubt they would prefer to be outside too!

 

[Ridgerunner]

I'm one of those heartless brutes too. My chicks go straight to the brooder in the coop from the incubator or post office. As long as they have a spot warm enough they do fine, even if there is ice in a far corner of that 3' x 6' brooder.

I've had chicks 5-1/2 weeks old go through nights in the mid 20's Fahrenheit. They had been acclimated by being in that big brooder and playing in the colder spots, then going back to the warm spot when they needed to warm up. They were protected from breezes hitting them but those temperatures in calm air were no problem. I'd expect your chicks to be able to handle 45/50 Fahrenheit with no problems but exposing them to cold temperatures if you can won't hurt. One big advantage may be that you can see for yourself that it isn't a problem, that could help your confidence.

Chickens often do not like change but can be quite adaptable. Going from always light to pitch dark is a change. If I do something like that they might fuss for 15 minutes or so, then go to sleep. The next time they might fuss for 5 minutes. After that they go to sleep. It is no longer strange. Or you can try gradual methods. In any case they will adjust.

I want mine to stay out of my house for a few reasons. I want to stay married. My wife would not appreciate the noise, possible smell, and the dust and dander from trying to raise them in the house. She is a city girl with a sensitive nose but I think she has a point. Also, I want my chicks exposed to the rest of the flock as early as possible. I want them to get to work on flock immunities as soon as possible while they are in the brooder and easy to observe. Plus, with them growing up with the flock they are usually a breeze to integrate. If you don't already have chickens out there you may lose some of these benefits but I've always brooded outside.