Frightened Chicks???

[lunkerchicken]

I have my almost 5 week old chicks out in the coop/run and have been for about a week. I have a red heat lamp out there because the nights still get a bit cool. The light blew tonight and they wouldn't go in the coop. I would put one in and she would jump right back out!!! Finally, I just had to close the chicken door and put them in one at a time! After I got them all in, they were all chirping away hysterically. I figured it might have something to do with the low light. I didn't have a spare red bulb so I put a 100 watt in there instead. They came down from where they were all huddled togeter and resumed normal activity. I hope the 100 watt will do the trick? It seems like it will. It just needs to last the night as I will pick up a new 250 watt red bulb tomorrow at the local feed store. Were my little girls frightened?

 

[Backyard Hencam]

I was always afraid the heat lamp would burn out during the night but it didn't.

They were probably just "unnerved" with the change of lighting. As long as they can huddle under it, they should get some warmth from 100 watts. At six weeks, one of my chicks had to be in a separate brooder and 100 watts was enough to keep the brooder at 70-75. She was fine!

Good luck with chicks in their new home!