Heat Lamp needed or Spoiled Chicks?

[Hteeter2]

Lately it's been about 75 to 80 at night, so I haven't turned on the heat lamp. Since doing this my almost 4 week old chicks will whine and fuss for some time. I know they are plenty warmth, food, water, and nothing out of the norm. Is this normal adjustment to no heat lamp?

 

[Cheers2Ya]

Are you kidding me?!? 75-80 at NIGHT! We might get up to the teens at night. hahaha My 3 week old chicks are out in the coop in a brooder with a ceramic heat light. But they wouldn't be if the weather changed to your temps. So jealous Seriously, tho, I think at four weeks 75-80 is warm enough for them, but someone else will weigh in.

 

[Sdominique]

80 degrees at night is plenty. If nothing else just put a low wattage regular light bulb in there for them for a couple more weeks.

 

[ChickNanny13]

I used heat lamp when I first started raising chicks as that's what I was told. When it came time to remove it at night, they really got upset & scared. Then I read about the MHP (heating pad) by Blooie, I will never go back to the heat lamp. Love the results I've gotten from it ... They know day & night, alot calmer & quieter ... Better adjusted I think.

You could do as Sdominique said, lower the wattage at night.

 

[Sdominique]

Ooooh I never thought about a heating pad, that would probably work even better! Thanks Chicknanny lol. I agree, that would work better, that way they are used to the whole day and night routine. With a light they are used to it being on constant and then you turn it off they actually really are afraid of the dark.

 

[ChickNanny13]

Ooooh I never thought about a heating pad, that would probably work even better! Thanks Chicknanny lol. I agree, that would work better, that way they are used to the whole day and night routine. With a light they are used to it being on constant and then you turn it off they actually really are afraid of the dark.

Not my idea, you can read & see all the different ideas in the forum Raising Chicks = MHP by Blooie. Long and very interesting

 

[llombardo]

I only use the heat lamp for about an hour before they go to sleep. They are in a brooder in a smaller bathroom. I did put a night light in there. They are quiet but I still think some shenanigans go on...like they jump on the side of the brooder and onto the toilet. I find poop on the toilet almost every morning. They all roost on the side if the box when is it with them. I also have ducks and today I put them in the bath tub with a shallow dish of water with another bowl in there to dunk their heads. Much easier to clean.

 

[Hteeter2]

My chicks are outside on the carport with a lid that has wiring to let them breath while keeping critters at bay. My bedroom door goes out to the carport, so I can check on them when I want. I've thought of it being dark, so I tried leaving the carport light on. Even with that light on they still fuss.

 

[blackdog043]

Ooooh I never thought about a heating pad, that would probably work even better!

Here's the thread link, in case you need it. It works great, I have 9 chicks about 3 weeks old in my coop using it currently. Temps have been low 30's at night and 50's during the day.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...e-heavy-update.956958/page-1061#post-19719072

 

[Blooie]

Think about how a broody hen raises chicks.....she doesn’t have a night lite under her wings. When the sun starts going down, she settles down for the night and her chicks snuggle under her for the night - the whole night. She doesn’t get them up for drinks of water, bedtime snacks, or shenanigans like leaping and playing around. When the sun comes up, they all wake up ready to take on another day, and that doesn’t mean plastered underneath her.

I think yours are doing what my first (and only) heat-lamp raised chicks did.....throwing an old fashioned temper tantrum. Chicks are no different than chickens. They don’t like change, and dark is a big change after light 24/7. So you are right..they aren’t cold or having any other issues. They are just plain mad at you right now.

Are they in a place where they can get sunlight during the day and having it get get gradually darker as the sun goes down? They’ll get used to natural day/night cycles a lot faster if they actually experience it nightly. Oh, they’ll still hate you the first few nights, and probably loudly, but at least you’ll be progressing toward more natural cycles instead of fighting the same battle night after night - they’ll keep yelling as long as it works because they’ve learned to “call” you to get what they think they need. As long as you are providing them with any light, especially just before the time you want them to go to sleep, they aren’t gonna cooperate. Nightlights just prolong the agony - yours and theirs! It’s one of the reasons I only raised one batch of chicks the “conventional” way and then chucked the books in favor of imitating a broody hen as closely as possible.

Have a glass of wine, put on some headphones, and steel yourself. They can’t be in control forever...eventually they have to become chickens and putting it all off just means they’re older with more ingrained habits! You’ve got this - really! You already knew why they’re doing what they’re doing, so the battle is half won....