BROODING CHICKS

[MINDANAO DAVE]

I am live in the Philippines where the weather is pretty much in the 80s and above most all the time. At what age would I be safe to take away the heat lamp from my chicks? Thanks

 

[blackdust951]

probably at around 4 to 6 weeks

 

[MINDANAO DAVE]

Thanks.

 

[azygous]

Actually, probably around 9am.

As long as it's above 70F, chicks, even two and three-week olds, don't need heat during the day at warm temps. The warmer the ambient temperature, the slower unfeathered chicks lose body heat and need to re-warm.

At night when they're asleep, they will need a bit of heat if it's cool. After they reach four weeks of age, they are usually feathered out enough they won't need heat even at night as long as the temps are warm.

 

[snowbird]

If your temp. is around 80 you can get rid of the Heat Lamp after three weeks. I would ad a small watt bulb to keep them from pilling up at night. I use Thermostat controlled heaters and lower 5 degrees a week.

 

[Ridgerunner]

It doesn't matter what your warmest temperatures are, what are your coolest temperatures? When you say most of the time that doesn't mean always. I've had chicks less than a week old go all day by themselves with no supplemental heat from a broody hen or any artificial source in 80 degree weather. So 9:00 AM is probably a pretty good answer, though I'd want them at least a few days old. During the first two or three days after hatch mine tend to stay in a warm spot a lot, but after than they roam a lot in warmer weather.

 

[BigBlueTruck]

At what time of day is it coolest?