Changing temps for chicks

[breezmist]

Hi y'all! I have a brood of 21 chicks that are 3 weeks old. I kept the heat lamps on and slowly over the last couple weeks raised them and cut one off. Now I just have a lamp high above them. The thermomitor has fluctuated in temps and now they're at about 71 degrees (wow it's hard to control that temp!) I plan to prepare them for a week in the coop and then open them to the run. Should I allow the temps to lower more? We may have more cool nights in April. They will be 5 weeks when I put them out

 

[loanwizard]

At 5 weeks they should be fine. Watch them and give them room to move under and away from the heat. When they are fully feathered, between 3-5 weeks, they can take temps an adult bird can.

Shawn

 

[ArticStrat]

Once they are fully feathered they should be good.

 

[debid]

With 21 of them, they'll be able to snuggle in a nice raft at night and keep each other warm. As long as they have feathers on their heads, they are ready.

 

[breezmist]

Thank you all! Most have feathers and are starting to show some in the head. I think after this coming week they'll be ready for the coop. Do y'all keep a light on in cool weather (when they're grown) every year or will they eventually be fine without one? I'm asking because I grew up with chickens but my gramps had a huge coop and always had light. My precious coop had lighting but my new one doesn't (yet)

 

[debid]

I'm using a 40W bulb on a timer for extending the light hours but have never heated after the chicks were feathered.

 

[loanwizard]

I am in Ohio where a cold snap can give us a week of temps in the single digits during the day and below zero at night. I have never used light or supplemental heat and have never lost a bird to extreme cold.
That said, I do have a couple roosters with frostbitten combs.
I did put a heat lamp in the egg room to slow the freezing and cracking of my eggs (lost about 20 dozen this year) but not one chicken used it.