Heat lamp too hot, chicks being in the "dark" ok?

[Redfisher1997]

So i just recently moved my baby chicks into the coop last night,

This is the setup, plenty of ventilation and i have glass and wire over the door so the big chickens living in the run can see them and get used to the little ones. The heat lamp is 3 feet above them and there is a 8' fan on full power blowing air around the coop too keep them cool, but here in FL its getting hot during the day and today i checked on them after their first night alone in the coop and they were all cuddled up next to the glass (which felt cool to the touch) so i figured they were sitting there because they are too hot, so i turned off the heat lamp but now its kind of dark in there, i mean they can definitely still see because of the sunlight from the ventilation holes but i just need to know if its ok for it to be a little dark in there while the coop cools off, i plan on turning the heat lamp back on tonight so they stay warm through the night but will that mess up their sleeping schedule?

 

[Chickygirl63]

I had a similar set up... I live in Louisiana . When it gets hot. I turn the light off during the day an kept extending the time to turn the light back on. I didnt use a blower ..My brooder was 7 by 4 by 4 ...

 

[alexa009]

Its okay for the coop the dark, not okay for the chicks to be too hot. If its hot outside then I would recommend turning off the heat lamp.

 

[Chickygirl63]

I was nervous the first couple times i did this...l had a large nesting box under the heat lamp 19 chicks and two keets .they all grouped together when cold but when it got hot it was just the opposite .also i had three perches two lower at different levels. Mine started testing out the roosting by five weeks (some)

 

[Redfisher1997]

Its okay for the coop the dark, not okay for the chicks to be too hot. If its hot outside then I would recommend turning off the heat lamp.

Yeah thats what i figured but i just wanted to make sure it was ok, once again byc saves the day

 

[Blooie]

They look pretty feathered as far as I can see.....how old are they? By the end of 3 weeks old my chicks are off all heat - and our temps are still in the twenties. Remember that by this age they wouldn't all fit under a broody hen anyway. As for dark, well, yep. Darkness is part of their natural day/night cycle.

 

[Redfisher1997]

Thanks guys i think im just going to replace the heat bulb with a normal one so there is light in there but no heat