Is it time to turn off the mama heating pad?

[Jester57]

I'm not sure if this has been answered anywhere else, but I've been brooding my chicks out in the covered run under a mama heating pad. At this point, I just leave the door to the brooder open and they free range with everyone else; returning to the brooder box at night. They're almost nine weeks old now, fully feathered and keep on going back to the heating pad at night. Should I turn off the heating pad at this point and assume they'll just go roost with the other hens in the coop or are more drastic measures (i.e., closing the brooder door so they can't return) needed? Weather-wise around here, it's been cool at night (50s) but we're getting ready to jump into Summer with 90+ temps expected next week (Ah, life in Missouri). After this week, I don't think night time heat's going to be an issue.

 

[SilverBirds]

Yes, they are almost fully feathered and can be fine without a heater. They may huddle on the ground at first so you may have to teach them to roost by putting them with the big hens every night.

 

[3KillerBs]

At that age they're well past needing any heat. They're just sleeping in their accustomed place by habit.

You can certainly start teaching them to roost at this point.

 

[Mrs. K]

I would put an unplugged mamma heating pad in the coop where you want them. The first night, heard them into the coop and they will see it and be comfortable.

I take mine off heat at two weeks. So definitely no heat needed by 9 weeks. I agree it is just habit, but you can use that habit to get them into the coop.

Mrs K

 

[rosemarythyme]

They definitely don't need the heat and haven't needed it, they're just returning to "mama" because that's what they've always done.

I'm a little heavy handed with chicks when it's time to move out, so I'd lock them out of the brooder and manually put them in the coop with the adults. Since I do that when the chicks are younger (around 4 weeks) I cage them inside the coop in the evening until they make the connection of coop = bedtime, and after a few days they will go in on their own.