chick brooding questions

[boykin2010]

I have run across some questions that i need to know the answer and on google people seem to have different opinions so i thought i would ask the experienced people of BYC.
My first question is when do i take the heat lamp off the chicks. I live in south georgia so it gets hot here. Today it was around 75-80 degrees. My chicks are a little over 3 weeks old and i have been taking the heat lamp off during the day and putting it on during the night. When should i take it away all together. Oh and the chicks are in my garage so drafts are a minimum.
My second question is when should i start trying to introduce chicks to adult food?
Third question is how old do chicks need to be to start crowing. I know it sounds crazy but i swear i think i heard one of my 3 week old chicks crowing the other day. It may have been my imagination though.

Thank you in advance for the help!

 

[gryeyes]

Quote:
The supplemental heat needs to continue until the ambient temp is about the same as the heat according to the following schedule:
Week one: 95 degrees
Week two: 85-90
Week three: 80-85
Week four: 75-80
Week five: 70-75
Week six: 65-70
Week seven: 60-65
Week eight: 55-60.

By this time they are fully feathers - usually - and can go 24/7 without supplemental heat. But sudden changes from heated living quarters to VERY cold in a coop can be a shock and kill them.

Generally, they transition from medicated chick starter to grower/finisher or "all flock" feed about 8 weeks, but if you don't put them out "on the ground" until then, they need the medicated feed a couple more weeks to help them build resistance to coccidia. But they should remain on grower/finisher until they lay their first eggs.

I keep mine all on All Flock forever, and keep crushed oyster shell out free choice for the layers to take. I don't use layer feed. (Too many chickens of different ages in the flock.)

 

[boykin2010]

So since they are 3 weeks and it is about 80 degrees outside they shouldnt need the heat lamp anymore correct? So remain on grower finisher until they lay their first eggs and graudally over time add layer pellets to their food? Right now everyday i have been putting 10 or 12 layer pellets in the chicks food to get them used to it. I dont know if i should stop doing that or keep doing it. They seem to actually prefer the layer pellets than the chick food and always eat it first.

 

[boykin2010]

Oh and thank you for your help!