Heating Lamp or No Heating Lamp?

[MamaFox78]

One other note about heat lamps: Lighting the coop at night is really disruptive to their circadian rhythm and can cause a ton of problems - including egg yolk peritonitis, which can be fatal. And if you get a power outage and they're not adapted to cold, they'll really suffer. Heat lamps are a hard no for me, they're way too dangerous in so many ways!

If you've got chicks who aren't fully feathered, you can get a brooder plate for them to huddle under as needed - it just provides heat, no light. I used this method with my last batch of chicks, I had a brooder plate in one corner of the coop that was fenced off with chicken wire to make a little chick area where they could safely see/ interact with the other chickens until they were big enough to integrate. Worked awesome, and they feathered out and adapted much faster because they could come & go from the heat source as they pleased!

But if your birds are fully feathered, they can withstand way more cold than you might think... here in Colorado we get subzero temps, and my chickens are fine. I have a heat pad on the floor and a couple heated perches in case they need to warm up, but they rarely use them, only on the most bitter cold days (like -20). In Georgia you should never need anything like that, they'll be fine!

 

[NatJ]

Thanks so much for this. I was wondering the same thing. Mine are now over 1 month old, and I've been leaving the heat lamp on, though further away from them at night. I've been taking them out in the day time in their temporary coop on the balcony. Here in south Texas, it's been between 75-80 degrees in the daytime. I've been putting them back in their large container at night in the house. It may be time to allow them to stay outside at night, but it got down to 40 and damp here a day or two ago. I'm just "winging" it a little, but I really can use ANY advice that a season old bird keeper can give me. Thanks!

Given they age of your chicks, they should not need a heat lamp at those daytime temperatures, and they should not need a heat lamp inside your house at night either.

Before leaving them outdoors at night, I would have them sleep indoors with no heat lamp for a few nights. That gives them a more gradual adjustment (assuming your house is warmer than the outdoor night temperature. Most humans like their houses much warmer than 40 degrees fahrenheit!)

 

[MamaFox78]

57 degrees, I would easily have 4 week olds off heat in that sort of temperature without issue. Chickens suffer from heat far more than cold, and that's not even cold (that's shorts weather!)

Hahaha I just saw this... 35 feels like a heat wave to me right now! I would LOVE it if the low was 57, we don't even get that in the summer!

 

[MillieYevick]

Generally the red ones are "heat lamps" and yes the surface temperature on those can get pretty crazy.

Fully feathered, properly acclimated healthy birds do not need any heat at all at 57F.

To further clarify for OP,

How cold is cold? Healthy adolescent and adult chickens can handle cold down to about -10F real without need for heat.

We live in Georgia so our cold recently has been in to 40's all the way down to the 20's. Georgia weather is all over the place. We usually have all seasons within a 24 hour time span, lol.

 

[MillieYevick]

Thanks so much for this. I was wondering the same thing. Mine are now over 1 month old, and I've been leaving the heat lamp on, though further away from them at night. I've been taking them out in the day time in their temporary coop on the balcony. Here in south Texas, it's been between 75-80 degrees in the daytime. I've been putting them back in their large container at night in the house. It may be time to allow them to stay outside at night, but it got down to 40 and damp here a day or two ago. I'm just "winging" it a little, but I really can use ANY advice that a season old bird keeper can give me. Thanks!

Glad the post was able to help you out and me, lol! My pullets are outside now, but they are fully feathered. But I did just get 10 baby EasterEgger chicks and I'm winging it too! This is my first time having baby chicks. We boght our pullets as already laying hens. I have so much more research to do as they get older cause the time frame of heating lamps with the chicks is super confusing. I got the brooder heater for the chicks and it helps me sleep at night knowing there will be no house fire! If you have any tips or tricks I will gladly take any advice if you have any of raising the baby chicks!

 

[Jenbirdee]

momma says no more heat for those babies they gunna be just fine!!