Heat lamp in California?

[sparker96]

Hello, all! I'm raising my first brood and have a few questions. I live in California, Sacramento Valley specifically. Usually quite warm. That being said, should I supply a red bulb heat lamp in the winter, or would simply blanketing the walkway suffice? Also, is the keel always so prominent in chickens? I have 6 pullets, 3 leghorns and 3 Ameracaunas. The keel seems very sharp in comparison to the exotic birds I work with.

Please and thanks in advance!

 

[tassiehens]

Hello! I can't give you any help with breeding chickens but good luck with your brood.
Also

 

[Pork Pie]

Hi and welcome to BYC - thanks for joining us. I think that to be on the safe side, i would have a heat source for chicks. Whilst there are recommended temperatures for chicks as they age, it may be more appropriate to observe the behaviour of your chicks. If they avoid the heat source, its too warm, so raise it a little and observe again. If they chirp and huddle together, they are not warm enough, so lower the heat source. The idea is to create a warm area, and cooler areas in the brooder. This link may be useful to you - https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/raising-your-baby-chicks

Leghorns are a light breed, so the breast bone can be quite pronounced (my cockerel's is, for sure). I have no experience with Americaunas, so I'll leave that to other members. There are threads on both breeds, so maybe type the names in the search bar and see what pops up - the respective experts should be able to help out.

Good luck

CT

 

[redsoxs]

Greetings from Kansas and . Pleased you joined us. If I read your post correctly you have chicks or chickens now and are asking if you should provide them heat this winter? If that is correct, the answer is no - after a few weeks they be fully feathered and will not require heat and certainly not a heat lamp over them. Where I live we have several nights in the dead of winter where the temps drop to zero degrees Fahrenheit or a little below and my chickens do just fine in their unheated, uninsulated coop.
About the keel bones...CTKen is correct about leghorns and their prominent keel bones. Many people are used to the chicken they buy in the grocery store which have the huge rounded breasts - almost like a miniature turkey - with no outwardly visible keel. Those birds are likely a variety of meat bird called Cornish Cross. It's kind of a genetic freak when it comes to growth rate and size. All or nearly all other chicken breeds will not have those characteristics and almost seem scrawny in comparison. But the sharp keel is normal on an otherwise healthy bird. Hope that helps.

 

[sparker96]

Oh. I feel I left out an important piece of information. They're not very young, they're probably about 8 weeks. Fully feathered and, for the most part, free range. And I do not intend to breed. Sorry if I used a term that suggested that. Newbie

 

[BantamFan4Life]

Welcome to BYC! I'm glad you joined us!

 

[drumstick diva]

They sounds fine - enjoy them.

 

[Pork Pie]

Oh. I feel I left out an important piece of information. They're not very young, they're probably about 8 weeks. Fully feathered and, for the most part, free range. And I do not intend to breed. Sorry if I used a term that suggested that. Newbie

No problem at all - redsoxs' advice is totally valid

 

[sparker96]

Thank you all for your help!!