Help needed...

[SunAngel]

Would anyone happen to know if 5-6 week old chicks still need a heat lamp?

I had put them outside in the big coop brooder...but the temps dropped to the single digits last night. Even though they seemed to have survived ok, I was afraid to chance keeping them out there any longer. They are not completely feathered and I didnt think one little heat lamp was enough to keep them all warm. I brought them in the house and its warm in here, so I thought maybe they would be ok without one.

Think I will either have to keep them in here til they feather out more and get a bit bigger, or til the temps are consistently warmer. These are ones from my first semi-successful hatch, so I am not willing to take a chance losing them, if I can avoid it.

 

[justusnak]

At 5 or 6 weeks, they still need to be at least at a 65 degree temp. they wont be completely feathered out utill about 8 weeks old, and then even, if the temps are single digits, they will need heat. My older chickens(1 to 3 yrs old) get a heat lamp at night under 32 degrees...to keep them from getting frostbite. I say, keep them inside untill at least 8 weeks old.

 

[SunAngel]

So if they are in my livingroom where it is around 80'ish they should be ok without a light?

Whew, glad I brought them in. I was really scared to go out there this morning. Was almost sure I would find a few, if not all of them gone. I really lucked out. I didn't dare take the chance again. So I will keep them inside til they have more feathers.

I do have heat lamps in the big coop, one for the 3 month old juvies and 1 in with the bigger girls. The bantam coop has one also to keep their water from freezing.

Thanks for the help!

 

[gkeesling]

I moved my 12 BR and 7 RIR out to the coop at 5 weeks. I put a heat lamp in the coop about 4 ft. off the floor. At the time it might have gotten as low as 30 degrees during that first week. They would all huddle under the lamp at night then just scurry around the 8x10 coop all the other times. They are now 7 weeks old and it got down to 10 degrees in the coop last night. I'm in East Central Indiana. I still have that one heat lamp and they all were ok this morning.

 

[SunAngel]

Thats about when I put mine out there, 5-6 weeks. They have lots of feathers, but some spots are thin and they still have some fuzz on their heads. They have been fine out there til now, but these super low temps really worried me.

 

[debilorrah]

Yes, yes yes they do still need heat. We have some 7 week olds in the laudry room, and they are fine there wiothout a heat lamp, but I would not put them outsie yet....

 

[americana-chick]

my 2nd hatch of the year didnt have a heat lamp at age 6 weeks because they were fully feathered and only at night they were under a heat lamp. my first hatch was under a heat lamp at that age because i had bantys in the mix. i have never had a chick get sick or die because no heat lamp during the day at age 6 weeks. anything below needs to have a heat lamp. and just be carefull if you deside to chance it. moniter your chicks every day.

 

[SunAngel]

They seem to be ok so far inside with no heat lamp, whew. They are mostly sleeping in a big pile, but I think that is more for security than total warmth. They aren't being really noisy or anything, so hopefully I can get away without adding another electricity sucking heat lamp.

I will sleep better tonight with them inside and not out in that bitter cold. I would have hated myself had I lost any last night.

Thanks for the help everyone!