Chick temp??

[Savyjoy]

We have four week olds in their brooder I’ve seen that at a week the temp should go down to 90? It’s currently 95 ish. Do I just turn off or raise the light, or watch the chicks? I turned off the light and it stayed 89 in the brooder but the chicks all went under where the light would shine. Does this mean they aren’t ready for the temp drop? Or just missing their light? Thanks guys!!

 

[azygous]

Chicks at four weeks need no heat during the day. At all. Even when it's cool.

At night, they only need heat if the temp is below 70F. By five weeks, they usually no longer need heat at night.

Yes, they do get addicted to their light. You may need to wean them off the light by giving them a dim night light until they settle down, then off it goes.

 

[Savyjoy]

Thank you so much!! At one week should I start weening?

 

[azygous]

You can start right away. Ignore their complaining. Chicks are consummate manipulators.

 

[Doublete]

I think you mean 4 (as in quantity) one week olds right?
Yes the temperature should be 90.

 

[Blooie]

I never, ever use a heat lamp or light for mine, even when our springtime temps are still in the 20s, sometimes dropping into the teens. They are raised outside in a wire brooder pen using just a Mama Heating Pad. By 3 weeks old they wean themselves off heat. By 4 weeks old the brooder pen, along with Mama Heating Pad, is totally removed. Every batch, every time.

Chicks aren’t as “delicate” as we are led to believe, which becomes readily apparent when you watch a broody hen with chicks. They spend most of their time wandering around and exploring at just a day or so old, just ducking under her if they get spooked or need a quick warm-up. They’ll even run over snow if there’s some out there! And they sleep all night through, with no eating or moving around from sundown to sunup, snuggled under, on top of, or around the broody.

As my good friend @azygous said, they are master manipulators. I went through those first few nights of “But it’s dark out here” chickie temper tantrums. They survived just fine, and so did I. That was the first time I ever had chicks, and it was the last time I ever gave them artificial light all night long with a heat lamp. The next 8 batches were raised outdoors, without light.

I agree with @Doublete, it’s hard to know if your post is describing 4 one week old chicks or an unspecified number of 4 week old chicks. That info would be very helpful.