Heat Lamps and Sleep Cycle for chicks

[Riffero70]

We have 6 chicks that are now 8 weeks old. We've been moving the heat lamp away each week and it's just within 10-15deg of the outside air temp outside and within 5 deg of the basement temp. The lamp is on 24/7 when do you start to turn it off at night and only have it on during the day? I've not ready any guidelines on this issue I might be over thinking it but don't want to cause the chicks problems if they still need the warmth at night still.

 

[red horse ranch]

We have 6 chicks that are now 8 weeks old. We've been moving the heat lamp away each week and it's just within 10-15deg of the outside air temp outside and within 5 deg of the basement temp. The lamp is on 24/7 when do you start to turn it off at night and only have it on during the day? I've not ready any guidelines on this issue I might be over thinking it but don't want to cause the chicks problems if they still need the warmth at night still.

If the chicks are 8 weeks old they probably don't need the heat at all. Mine are usually in an unheated coop by that age unless the temp is below freezing. They will cry for a while the first night without a light but they get used to it quickly.

 

[CrazyChickGirl]

I think by 8 weeks you can safely turn it off for good. we had ours off by 3-4 weeks and depending on weather they are moved outside by 4-6 weeks. I noticed that the heat kind of pacifies them though.... So they might be noisier at first and have trouble settling in the evening. They will get used to it and within a few days you could probably just put them in the coop.

 

[Tappy4me]

Our chicks are approaching 7 weeks old, approximately. We have found that some nights the chicks just take longer to settle for the evening. Having 2 outside windows helps them with a natural light cycle, but occasionally they aren't ready to bed down by the time dark falls. I've noticed they'll start piling on top of each other, so nights they are like that, I'll turn their lamp back on for that evening. The first 3 nights without the heat lamp on 24/7 were the hardest for them, but they are gradually getting better. They've been without the heat lamp during the day now for almost 2 weeks, and about a week without it during the night time, give or take a day. (We are still working on our coop, so they are still indoors)

It seems to be pretty common to have chicks that are scared of the dark lol.

 

[TheCoolieCoop]

Just started the no light at day and night...tonight all 3 were like teenagers at a slumber party but finally settled down...glad I read these post too because I noticed this party event also =}

 

[ChickenLegs13]

8 weeks old they should be nicely feathered and ready for about any kind of temps.
Now that it's spring I can get my birds off the light @ 3 weeks. I'm happy when they come off the light because they sleep at night instead of eating that expensive starter feed 24/7. hahaha

 

[gander007]

By 8 weeks they should have enough feathers to keep warm
by huddling together and 6 chicks in a box with out drafts
should be able to keep each other warm

 

[273816]

I leave the light on during the night and day. At night I cover them over with a thin blanket to protect against drafts. It depends on the weather. I live in Australia and we're approaching winter in a couple months, so sometimes they don't have any need for the lamp during the day as it's already really warm. I always make sure their lamp is on them, especially at night.

Good luck.

 

[WalnutHill]

I just switched to a ceramic heat emitter for my inside brooding birds. It is making a BIG difference in noise level. They seem a lot calmer and enjoy basking under the infrared.

Nice thing is that it uses only 125 watts but heats as well as a 250 watt heat lamp.

 

[weezilgirl]

We had a bad storm and our electricity went off. The chicks went crazy! They were running and crying. I took a round LED light and put it on the floor of their tub. I put it in the corner. It is about 3-1/2 inches across. They all immediately all tried to sit on it. They calmed down and then I went and found one of my good headlights and fixed it for them. Thank god that the electricity came back on in about 6 hours. They are pacified by light but I've been moving mine away from them gradually. They get sunlight for two hours a day and they really do like it. They snooze during that time.