chick raising in Northwest OP of Washington

[CoastalChickens]

Hello fellow chicken enthusiasts. We are new to raising chickens and have 15 chicks that are now almost 6 weeks old. Barred Rocks, Black Astrolaups and Buff Orpingtons. We live in a somewhat mild climate but it may snow this week. My question is regarding their light for heat in the chicken coop....can I turn it off now or will they become too cold at night? I have provided roosts for them that are 6 inches off the ground but every morning I find them huddled under the heat lamp. They have lots of feathers and are outside all day or at least going in and out.
Also, up until now I have been sprinkling chick grit on their food every morning. What is the next step for their access to grit?
Any helpful opinions are appreciated.
Thanks!

 

[hokankai]

Hello CoastalChickens! You should join my group on facebook for chicken keepers in the Pacific Northwest : https://www.facebook.com/groups/566488796755661/

Regarding your questions, your birds are still pretty young so I would keep their light on for now. If it were early fall and they had time to grow out more and feather out heavily I would turn it off, but a sudden drop in temp like we're going to get is going to be dangerous. I would wait until they are about 8-12 weeks before turning it off completely in the winter.

If they have access to the outdoors they will generally get grit for themselves from the ground. You can put a dish near their food bowl if you deem it necessary for where they are being kept.

Good luck! I have family in Port Orchard and I'm in Vancouver. Keep warm this week!

 

[CoastalChickens]

Thank you very much for the input. I will leave their light on...now that you mention it that is definately a large temperature drop. We will be cozy in our house tonight. Wishing you a snow day and some relaxation! Have a good day.