Heat Lamp

[chickenscratch]

I have 4 1 month old chicks. I know they can't go outside until they have feathers or are at least 2 months old.
But do I keep the heat lamp on 24hrs a days still? Do they need some darkness to rest?
Thanks!

 

[Queen of the Lilliputians]

A lot of this depends on where you live, how warm it is, and what advice you choose to believe!

My chicks have been in their big coop for the last week and a half (they turned 5 weeks yesterday). Our henhouse is insulated, and we have been VERY careful to keep them dry and warm (if the temp is below 65 I leave them in the house all day. They hate it, but at least they are warm!!). I still keep the heat on at night for all but a half hour, because I'm trying to wean them off.

A farmer friend of my hubby's couldn't believe we still had the light on at all. He said he turns it off when they are 2weeks. He's an older man, and has been a farmer all his life. I wasn't comfortable with that, though. I had read somewhere that after two weeks start turning the light off for 15min the first week, 1/2 hr the second, and so on. I'm a bit overprotective though, so.. here we are at 5weeks 1 day and they still have the light on nearly all night!

Hope that helps.. I would like to add that my chicks are nearly fully feathered at this point (all except for two slightly slow-maturing barred rocks).

-Meghan