Heat for 6wk old chicks

[Kristencardany]

So I turned off the heat lamp for my 6 week old chickens but the ambient room temp is between 60-70 but since I turned it off they are huddled together as close as they can get near the other brooder which still has heat lamp.. should I just turn it back on or let them get used to lower temps?? Thank you!

 

[swamphiker]

Are your chicks mostly feathered? At 6 weeks they should be fine at room temp or even lower. It might take them a little while to adjust.

 

[Kristencardany]

Yeah they are all full feathered.. I have 3 silkies, a d'uccle and a OEG bantam. I mean during the day they are moving around and going crazy because they want to be out but when they're resting they're all huddled in a little ball. I just want to make sure I wasn't making a mistake taking it away too soon. But the room temp is always between 60-70 sometimes close to 80.

 

[Chick-N-Fun]

I would recommend turning it on at night and off during the day for another week or 2.

 

[Mamatomany123]

Dis you wean them off or just shut off the heat. I wouldnt have just shut it off it they havent been weaned from it

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I think they are huddled because you have kept them warm for so long and they aren't acclimated to temperatures that they should be ready for at 6 weeks.
For chicks indoors (room temperature), I usually turn heat off at 3, 4 or 5 weeks at the latest.

 

[kmaireh]

Mine are the same age and the lamp bulb just went out. :/
I guess they're ready to go without, but I hate to just stop abruptly. It's going to get down to 53 F tonight and their little pen is in an enclosed tack room in the barn with a concrete floor.

Will they be okay tonight?

 

[swamphiker]

Mine are the same age and the lamp bulb just went out. :/
I guess they're ready to go without, but I hate to just stop abruptly. It's going to get down to 53 F tonight and their little pen is in an enclosed tack room in the barn with a concrete floor.

Will they be okay tonight?

How many of them are there? They should be okay but it might be a good idea to provide a cardboard box big enough to fit them all inside but small enough to help them conserve heat to huddle inside of.

 

[kmaireh]

How many of them are there? They should be okay but it might be a good idea to provide a cardboard box big enough to fit them all inside but small enough to help them conserve heat to huddle inside of.

Thank you for responding so quickly!
There are 7 of them. We have a plastic tub that's about 1.5 by 1 foot. Maybe put them in that tonight with a grate over the top and a saddle blanket underneath so the tub isn't directly on the concrete?
Or just use a regular bulb in the lamp for tonight?

 

[Allman27]

I would put something like a blanket between the tub and concrete, because concrete will pull heat away from the warmth. Thats why your bare feet feel so much colder on concrete, it pulls heat out of your feet, so you feel cold. Good luck