Chicks scared of the dark?

[fairylightchicks]

Should I get my chicks a night light?
They used to have a heat lamp but I just switched to a brooder plate. During the day they are fine, happily napping. But at night, they start chirping as loud as possible, I think they're afraid of the dark!
I put on a dim light in the room and it got them to eventually quiet down but now they were all huddled away from the brooder plate, closest to the light.
So I nudged them under the brooder plate and put a battery powered light nearby (thinking it would shine juuust a little under the plate) and they are all cuddled up to the light!
What should I do?

 

[rosemarythyme]

How old are they?

I'd remove the light and gradually dim the room's light (and have no other lights that they can see, i.e. a hallway light) before bedtime, that will naturally signal to them to get their last bites of food and hustle off to bed. Once they're settled down they should remain fairly quiet as long as nothing disturbs them.

 

[fairylightchicks]

The oldest two are two and a half weeks, and the youngest are probably 2-3 days old.
Eventually the battery on the little moon light ran out so I think that should work, that maybe they panicked cause they weren't ready for bed yet.

 

[FrostRanger]

It's normal, just ignore it and they will eventually settle. It also helps if you have a window in the room so they can see the sun set

 

[Ridgerunner]

Chickens don't like change but are pretty adaptable. The first few times they see dark can be frightening, they have no experience with it. But they eventually get used to it.

Some people just turn the lights off and let them complain. After 10 to 15 minutes they may quit complaining and go to sleep. The next night the complaints might last 5 minutes, then they sleep. Usually after that they just go to sleep.

Some people turn the lights off for a bit and turn them back on, gradually lengthening that time until they just ignore it. That takes time and patience.

I think you are right, with the heat lamp they never got used to the dark so they are frightened of it. And the brooder plate is another change. Typically I'd say either method works but since you have some that young you want them on the heat plate. I'd suggest you try the on and off method to get them over this.

 

[fairylightchicks]

Chickens don't like change but are pretty adaptable. The first few times they see dark can be frightening, they have no experience with it. But they eventually get used to it.

Some people just turn the lights off and let them complain. After 10 to 15 minutes they may quit complaining and go to sleep. The next night the complaints might last 5 minutes, then they sleep. Usually after that they just go to sleep.

Some people turn the lights off for a bit and turn them back on, gradually lengthening that time until they just ignore it. That takes time and patience.

I think you are right, with the heat lamp they never got used to the dark so they are frightened of it. And the brooder plate is another change. Typically I'd say either method works but since you have some that young you want them on the heat plate. I'd suggest you try the on and off method to get them over this.

Thank you!