chick lighting

[timco]

My wife and I bought 2 EE chicks(auracana?), 2 RI reds, and 2 barred rock chicks, just getting feathers from down. Should they get dark time? How much? We have a ceramic heat source and a seperate light source that can be timed. They seem to really doze off if we turn out the light for 1/2 hour. I should add that they are being raised in a pen in our basement on newspaper with a nesting box in the pen that has timothy hay in & around it. They all pile in the box when the light is off and really sleep harder than when sleeping w/ light on.

Thanks, Tim

 

[timco]

Is this a dumb question? Should the light be the heat lamp? We had it set up that way, but figured they would want some dark time to sleep...

Thanks, Tim

 

[CUDA]

I just use a red heat lamp myself, it will still allow them to sleep properly. I don't recommend using a white bulb. Good luck!