How much light & heat do 6 week old chicks need?

[JenMT]

I moved my 6 week old fully feathered Buff Orpingtions, Rhode Island Reds and Barred Rocks from the laundry room to the garage last week and today from the garage to an outdoor 8 X 8 coop. I was hoping to gradually get them used to it being a bit cooler. The coop will be their final home so they will not be moved anymore, I just couldn't keep them in the 3' x 5' water trough/brooder they had been in, it was really getting cramped for them. We built the coop this week-end and it is not insulated yet but it does have a pine shavings floor and a red bulb heat lamp. I have 12 chickens so they can huddle up together if they get cold. Right? It will get into the low to mid 30's this week at night but will start to get significantly warmer by the week-end. With the heat lamp I think it is about 50 inside the coop and warmer directly under the lamp. How cold is too cold for them at 6 weeks old and how much additional light should they be getting. Are the two 2' x 3' windows that I have in the coop and the heat lamp enough or should I also add a regular 60 watt light lamp too?

 

[Buck Creek Chickens]

I've got my 8 week old outside in the shed, what you could do is make an area around the heat smaller so it would be a bit warmer, if they are fully feathered they should be fine unless it got real cold, just make sure they dont get wet.

 

[freddy22]

I, personally believe it is your preference based on 1) some breeds are more hardy than others, you can take the heat lamp off earlier for some breeds 2) do YOU want to keep the heat lamp on, do you feel more comfortable/safe with it on.....if it were my situation i would try just putting it on at night and see what they do, if they huddle with it off, keep it on more.....if they find dark cooler corners with it on, then keep it off or switch to a lower watt bulb

 

[Omran]

Well from my understanding that when chicks hatch then temp is 95 and every week you get 5 degrees down, but now the best thing to do is lowering the heat lump close to the roost if you have one, and if they are cold they will go to the lamp by themselves.
and I truly think that birds get used to what ever available, think about the old days when electricity was not here.

Omran.

 

[kuntrygirl]

I just got 20 buff orpingtons so I would like to know as well.

 

[Buck Creek Chickens]

as for light as much natural day light is best, I've switched to heat emitters so my chicks have a more natural light pattern, seems to be a lot better, they are not so skittish and are healthier

 

[JenMT]

Holy Cow those were quick responses, thank you so much!

 

[JenMT]

1) some breeds are more hardy than others, you can take the heat lamp off earlier for some breeds


That is why I got the heavier dual purpose birds. They are supposed to be able to withstand colder temps and climates...........we'll see. I peeked in at them just a minute ago and lowered the heat lamp a bit, they are all gathered in the corner under it and it is 33 outside right now. I think tomorrow I will get some hay bales and try to make it a bit more cozier in that corner for them and maybe add another red lamp. The straw bales should hold in some of that heat. Wish us luck because I love'em.

 

[gritsar]

I agree with buck creek. Confine them to a smaller space within the coop if you want so they can't wander from the heat source and without any drafts, but I'll bet they do fine.
Please PLEASE be sure to secure your heat lamp in at least two ways - ex. with a clamp AND zip ties, etc.

 

[blackwpk]

Hello, everyone! All of this thread is so very helpful to me. I will be receiving our 4wk old Rhode Island Reds this week. Our weather here is western Oregon has been so very warm this summer, but this week will be in the low to mid-70's. At night it has been in the upper 50's to the mid-60's. I would like to coop train them for a couple weeks, but ONLY if it is cooler than now. If not, I have a Peck n' Play that I can put them in and out of, so that they get the idea that when it is dusk that the coop is where they go. I need to play it by ear for our weather. I do have a heat lamp, down low, straw on the floor and roosts, since heat rises I thought where I put it would be best. I do have two large windows I can open during the day as well.
The only thing I need to know is how much light during the day do my girls need??