Brooder light

[ChickPeas]

My chicks are mostly fully feathered (5 wks old)..they still have tiny remnants of down around their heads.

Right now they are in the guest room in a baby pool during the day and go into a pen in the backyard int he afternoon for several hours until the coop is finished. They'll actually go on the back porch as soon as the cold weather gives way to spring temps and from there we'll transition them to the coop.

My question is, when can I remove the light? Also, did you raise your chicks indoors or in a barn or coop? If inside, when did you let them out to spend the night by themselves without their light?

Sorry to ask so many freaking questions!!!
TIA!

 

[Tuffoldhen]

Your chicks won't fully feather til they are 8 to 10 weeks old...I have 9 week olds in a brooder in the garage still with a heatlamp of a 100 watt reg. bulb just for the cold nights .....it dips down in the 30 and 40s here still...

 

[ChickPeas]

Thank you...I just want to make sure I'm doing things right! So they can go outside for good after about 8 or 9 weeks then?

 

[gritsar]

My chicks have been outside since day one. IMO, your chicks can go outside when you are able to provide them with a clean, draft-proof enviroment where you can keep the chicks at the temp. needed for their age. Going by Ideal Poultry's instructions, that is: "90 degrees for the first week, with the temperature being reduced 5 degrees each week for the first five weeks..." We started our chicks at 90 degrees for the first 3 days, but after that they appeared uncomfortable...spreading their wings and panting...so we reduced it to 85. Now they are 10 days old and appear uncomfortable at anything higher than 82. I'm watching them more than the thermometer.
Next week, at 14 days old, they will be moving to their permanent coop. I intend to keep using their brooder lights, as needed, until they are 5 -6 weeks old and can handle 70 degrees.

 

[ChickenSquat]

mine were inside the house in a brooder for 10 days then i moved them to the coop with a heat lamp. the temp were around freezing monday and tuesday morning, had no problems. they love it in the coop, they have a lot more room to play and jump.

i have the light hanging about 18'' off the floor and the temp under the light is about 90 degrees.