I have 16 total that are exactly one week old today (11 Australorp/5 Barred Rock). They are in my homemade rubbermaid brooder box with a light on top with a 100 watt red landscaping type light in the brooder lamp. Since they arrived 1 week ago, I have just left the brooder light on all night to keep the brooder temp at 90-95 degrees. I also open the blinds near the brooder in the morning so that they get nice sunlight during the day. This site http://www.farminfo.org/livestock/chickens.htm says I need to put the chicks on a "light" schedule as follows: 1 to 6 weeks-----Lighting can be: a) 8-10 hours/day or b) 12-13 hours/day, gradually reducing to 8-10 hours 6 to 19-20 weeks-----Lighting should be held at 8-10 hours/day 19 to 20 weeks-----Lighting should be increased to 12 hours/day (egg production stimulated) 20 weeks-----Gradually increase from 12 to 16 hours/day Is this true? Is it necessary? And how do I keep my babies warm with no light? I am sure this is a silly question, but like any mother hen, I want what is best for my chicks. Thank you for your help in advance.
We use heat lamps, have for years. I have used both red and clear, I like the red better because they will not shatter, but in the house, I even use just regular light bulbs with the reflector. I've never had any issues with having the light on all the time.
Thank you for putting my mind at ease. And heat lamp bulb may be a really good idea for when they still need heat at night, but not light in the coop. Thanks again.
Personally, I never separate the two. I've always brooded chicks in the bsmt brooder with a 125 watt heatlamp. When they go out in the much larger nursery coop at about three weeks old, I use a 250 watt red heatlamp plus a 150 watt ultraviolet red reptile lamp.
We keep ours on light 24/7 until they are feathered enough to be put outside and warm enough for them to stay alive.