Are my young girls cold?

[MakoMark]

They are almost 5 weeks old and now outside in the coop. Temps at night around 40, I have a 100 watt heat lamp but with all the ventilation it doesn't raise the temp much. They do huddle under the light at night but prefer away during the day? I guess my main question is are they now fully feathered ? When can I remove the heat? Do they need some light at night?

 

[SandyRiverChick]

Mine are out in these temps, same age but they have a MHP so it's totally dark yet they're right at the cut off point where I still provide the heat source and look for them to be just a bit more feathered before I take it away. I think everyone has a different idea of exactly when they look fully feathered but all in the same ballpark range about 5 to 8 weeks. I think yours might be going under the light at night due to the light, not heat, but it's probably both really. They're not going to be happy when you put them in total darkness if you have given them constant light for 5 weeks....

 

[Maddcatter]

They are almost 5 weeks old and now outside in the coop. Temps at night around 40, I have a 100 watt heat lamp but with all the ventilation it doesn't raise the temp much. They do huddle under the light at night but prefer away during the day? I guess my main question is are they now fully feathered ? When can I remove the heat? Do they need some light at night?View attachment 3465142

They look like they are just barely not fully feathered out (you can still see the tuff's of fluff on their heads). They probably still want a dim light at light, because they're used to it. I'd probably give it another week with the heat lamp and then give them a night light... But my full grown chickens have a nightlight...

 

[Ridgerunner]

They are almost 5 weeks old and now outside in the coop. Temps at night around 40, I have a 100 watt heat lamp but with all the ventilation it doesn't raise the temp much. They do huddle under the light at night but prefer away during the day? I guess my main question is are they now fully feathered ? When can I remove the heat?

Most chicks are fully feathered by 4 to 5 weeks. I've had chicks 5-1/2 weeks old go through nights in the mid 20's Fahrenheit without heat. The reason they didn't go through at 5 weeks was that it didn't get that cold when they were first out there. Looking at those photos I think they are feathered out enough.

If you want to keep that heat lamp out there, you can. As long as it is safely secured it will not hurt a thing. You may need it more than they do.

Do they need some light at night?

A broody hen does not have lights installed under them when the chicks are sleeping under her all night long. The chicks do not NEED any light at night. Again, you can provide something if you want, but I don't see a benefit.

Chicks and chickens don't like change but can be pretty adaptable. The first time they are in pitch black is a change. They might complain. Probably will. You can stay out there turning the light off and on in increasing increments if you want to so you help adjust them to night. They will eventually get used to night. Or you can turn the light out and walk away. Within a few minutes they will have adjusted and gone to sleep.

 

[mcdze]

i wouldnt leave them in the cold till theyre alittle bigger .. if it was 60ish overnight id be more comfortable about it ..

 

[Kiki]

They are almost 5 weeks old and now outside in the coop. Temps at night around 40, I have a 100 watt heat lamp but with all the ventilation it doesn't raise the temp much. They do huddle under the light at night but prefer away during the day? I guess my main question is are they now fully feathered ? When can I remove the heat? Do they need some light at night?View attachment 3465142

I would have turned the light off weeks ago.

 

[Maddcatter]

They look like they are just barely not fully feathered out (you can still see the tuff's of fluff on their heads). They probably still want a dim light at light, because they're used to it. I'd probably give it another week with the heat lamp and then give them a night light... But my full grown chickens have a nightlight...

I'm replying to my own comment because I have thought about it more and seen the other replies. If your chicks are used to 40⁰ or below, you're probably fine. If your chicks are used to something much warmer, they might need time to adjust. Sudden, drastic temp change is typically bad for chickens, and when they're small "drastic" can be like 15⁰, even when mostly feathered.

I don't know what you're day time high is like, or your general weather patterns. If it's windy, that matters. If it's wet, that matters. 40⁰ when still and dry is much different than 70% humidity or 20 mile an hour wind. (I live in a windy desert, my milage may vary from yours.)

My birds have a night light because I need to be in their coop after dark, and it's less stressful for them if I don't have a bright light while they're sleeping. As someone else said, change will make your birds complain. My birds hated me removing heat lamps, but got over it in about half an hour.

In the end, if *you're* worried about it, do what makes sense to *you*. I'm not the one whom will lose sleep worrying about of your chicks are cold. (I hope this was helpful and not too rambling)

 

[MakoMark]

Thanks for the feedback, this site is the best! They are not using the perch yet, 3 days, and the heat lamp is above the perch. The humidity has not dropped below 70% and more like 95% until today 65% ya. Yes and it has been raining more then not. The coop is bone dry with no leaks and the money and work put into the roof now seams well worth it. I do like feeding them by hand boy are they competitive, that's nature for ya!

 

[rosemarythyme]

They're plenty feathered enough to be off heat at those temperatures and it sounds like they're already acclimated more or less to the temperatures as well. They WILL be upset at losing the light, but that's because it's something different, not because they need it.