do u ever turn off ur brooder heat lamp?

[gutfiddle]

I've had the heat lamp off all week but this weekend it's getting in the low 40's in central FLA at night so I turned it on last night and turned it back off this morning. They spent some time outside catching bugs today too.

 

[CowgirlPenny]

I thought about turning it off for a while today. They were as far away in the corner as they could get, so I removed the cardboard on top of the box to allow more heat to escape and they spread back out. It's an unusually warm day (windows open!) so I think it just got way too warm in the house, and there they are sitting under a 150 heat source

but if we continue to have warmer and warmer temps, I will start turning it off in the daytime when I'm at home and back on at night, probably next weekend.

 

[Knittycat]

I turn it off if they get really noisy in the morning. And by morning I mean 4 or 5 am and it's waking up my grumpy ass husband. They seem to do all right. They've liked it cool since I got them. They started out in a brooder that bounced between 80 and 85 and they were perfectly happy. When I switched to a bigger light for the recommended 95 they all hid at the other end of the box. Go fig.

I've got some weird chicks!

 

[BrattishTaz]

I'm not far from you. The weather has been warm enough to turn off the heat during the day. My chicks are the same age as yours and have loved having the brooder (outside) opened up. You just turn the lamp back on when it starts to cool down in the evening. They will start to huddle together if they are too cool.


Edited to say:
I just saw your pics. My babies are actually younger than yours and they are doing fine without the heat.

 

[RedNewcomer]

Since everyone seems to be having much better temps then we ( -5 to -20 ) I'm also considering turning the heat lamp off. The chicks are a week old but there also in our home, staying a consistent 72 degrees. Is this much to cool for them and would they still need a source of heat.

 

[RitzHomestead]

I turn it off if they get really noisy in the morning. And by morning I mean 4 or 5 am and it's waking up my grumpy *** husband. They seem to do all right. They've liked it cool since I got them. They started out in a brooder that bounced between 80 and 85 and they were perfectly happy. When I switched to a bigger light for the recommended 95 they all hid at the other end of the box. Go fig.

I've got some weird chicks!

Mine are the same way!! lol

 

[csaiz100]

I've had the heat lamp off all week but this weekend it's getting in the low 40's in central FLA at night so I turned it on last night and turned it back off this morning. They spent some time outside catching bugs today too.

How old are yours? My first set was hatched 1-5. The have all their feathers (I think) and are pretty big. They are in a brooder in my Bunkhouse. Its unheated during the day, but I would say the temp stays about 65 or so. When we come home from work we start the woodburning stove and it usually has embers left in the morning. Can I leave the heatlamp (Red 250 watts) off during the day?

 

[ChickenkeeperD]

Hi,

My chicks are almost two weeks old and our lamp broke!!! ( I was using a normal 60w) I have now got a red 100w reptile lamp but to be honest, it's giving me the heeby geebys! I am so worried it might catch Fire ( my brooder is indoors and the lamp is secure so I know it's irrational in a way!) We work all day, and I am really reluctant to leave it on whilst I'm out, can I have the chicks without a lamp, with their brooder next to a radiator and use a hot water bottle? (Wrapped up of course) the house is a warm 22oc I'm in England and it is pretty chilly out!! I usually leave the house around 8am and return around 3.45?

Thanks all, this chick keeping is like being a new parent all over again!!!

Danielle x