How long do you use a brooder lamp

[trunkman]

My chicks are now 6 1/2 weeks old now, I've moved them from the brooder to the coop, I've kept the brooder lamp on since I moved them, at what point can you get rid of the lamp?
I live in SC and the night temps are rather cool still, mid 30's at night and 50's and 60's during the day. They are fully feathered but I don't want to take the heat away to early. What's your take?

 

[featherz]

No heat needed at 6 1/2 weeks if they are fully feathered. My chicks were outside at 6 weeks and temps have ranged from -8 to +30. No light. All are fine.

 

[superchemicalgirl]

Agreed. I keep my heat lamp on until about 4 weeks then shut it off.

Chicks were fine outside at 6-weeks of age at temp of -8 the other day. And yes, they were running around outside the coop.

 

[pnp4kidz]

OMG... my chicks must feel SO spoiled!
they are always in the house til they are about 8 weeks old, with a lamp to go under...
LOL!!! and I live in N. CA!!!!!!!

 

[madamwlf]

Hmmm....looks like I'm kicking my week olds out to their coop and putting the brooder lamp out with them. Far too noisy inside.

 

[nurseshelly]

How early can you put them out with a lamp? Mine are almost three weeks old. I'm in AZ and the temps are in the 40s at night and high 60s - 70s during the day right now. Right now they are in a brooder in the bathtub. If I put their infra red light in the coop would they be alright? I'm not really in a hurry, just their coop is a lot bigger than my bathtub and brooder!
Michele

 

[rainierlass]

How early can you put them out with a lamp? Mine are almost three weeks old. I'm in AZ and the temps are in the 40s at night and high 60s - 70s during the day right now. Right now they are in a brooder in the bathtub. If I put their infra red light in the coop would they be alright? I'm not really in a hurry, just their coop is a lot bigger than my bathtub and brooder!
Michele

NurseShelly.............mine went out to the coop with a red lamp @ 3 weeks old - they were in the bathtub as well - it was last March and our temps were about the same altho not as warm during the day - they stayed 'cooped-up until they were about 5 weeks old and then had access to the run - they did great!​

 

[nurseshelly]

Hmmmmm, maybe they can go brood in the coop then!!! Probably not for a few days though because we are going to have a storm. We'll probably do that after the storm is over.
Michele

 

[dwegg]

I had mine in the basement with a heat lamp till they were 7 weeks old..then they went out to the small coop with the heat lamp for almost 2 weeks..lol and now they have a torch on at night for a night light...they wouldn't go in the coop if there was no lights on...yes I am babying them but I am hoping that they light will go off next week...lol

 

[Teresaann24]

My 10 silkie chicks will be 4 weeks old sunday they will stay inside till they are 6-7 weeks old I turned their brooder light off tonight its time to teach them that night for sleeping and to get use to maintaining their own heat without the brooder lamp.