Chicks are 19 days old

[Desirai]

When do I stop turning on the heat lamp for my chicks? And when can they permanently go into the pen? I only have 12 chicks and the coop/pen is still under construction but really close to being finished. the chicks are 19 days old today :}

 

[chicklover16]

you have to keep it on until they get their feathers, and then when you turn it off, watch them and see if they huddle together or if they just roam around as normal.

 

[mcjessen]

At about 19 days old they should have the brooder temp around 85 degrees. I'd leave the lamp on all the time. Rule of thumb is to start at 95 degrees when you bring them home and then reduce the brooder temperature by 5 degrees every week until the brooder temp reaches room temp or the temp of where ever they're being housed. We keep ours in the garage and it still gets pretty cold at night so I don't anticipating removing heat for a while. Your chicks should be fully feathered before they go outside.

 

[RonC]

Mine lost there heat lamp at about a month. They were about 75% feathered. Wings,tail,back and feathers starting on their breast. Of course it depends on the temperature of where they kept also.