do I keep the red light on 4 week old chicks 24 hrs a day

[max101]

Hi never raised 4 week old silkie chicks in winter. Do I keep there red light on them all night as well as day. I also have 4 week old pekins in with them but they jump up on the sides to sleep and come down under light early morning. Thanks

 

[Three Cedars Silkies]

Is it winter where you live?....cool! Well, I would say probably. It depends on the temperature really. At 4 weeks they should be able to tolerate temps of around 85 degrees. Now, they do LOVE the warmer temps and certainly prefer the light, but they don't have to have it if the temp is 85 or better. You can drop the temp 5 degrees for each week of age.

 

[cmom]

I have a low watt red night light on for my birds. My big girls are two years old. My younger ones are a year old. My babies are 2 weeks old. It might not make any difference to them but it does to me. One night my big girls night light burnt out and when I went out in the pre-dawn to check on them they were all on the floor of the coop, so I promptly replaced the bulb. I went out the next early morning and they were all in their places on their roosts. I don't know if the light had anything to do with it or not but it made me feel better. I use a 11 watt red sign light bulb. I figured out by my electric bill that it costs me about $3.00 a month to run 24/7..