Is the red light confuse them?

[RachelVT]

The weather has been so hot here I have not been using the light that much. But at night when it gets chilly I turn it on. Now here's the thing once I turn the light on they wake up and start moving about. Can the light be keeping them up? I wonder this because it's well after dark I thought chicks/chickens got really sleepy after dark. Anyone ever have this problem?

My other question is, is it okay if they snuggle together at night to sleep or do you run the risk of one of them getting smothered? I only have 5 chicks.

 

[kshaffer]

I've noticed that too. I've been putting a regular 100 watt bulb on my chicks during the day, or opening the door so they have natural light during the day. (My brooder is inside a horse stall). Then I turn it off and leave the red heat lamp on at night. If they are in complete darkness they will go to sleep, and wake up with light...but they also won't eat in the darkness, so I like having lights (either regular or red) on all the time so they are eating 24/7 while they are little. They sleep when they get tired even with the lights on. These are my first chicks - I have 36 Buckeyes that are now 4 and 5 weeks old. I'm feeding them Purina Flock Raiser, and they are growing like crazy. We put them in their regular coop today with heat lamp at night, as it's in the 80s during the day and 60s at night here in Indiana.

 

[debilorrah]

Actually the white light agitates them. They are probably just reacting to the new presence, and all my chickens sleep in a pile. I have ONE out of 55 that roosts. Weird birds.

 

[RachelVT]

Interesting....I turned off their light and all is quiet. I just hope they don't get too cold. My chicken lady who i got them from didn't even have them under a light when I got them and they are about nearly 2weeks old. I asked her if they should be under a light and she told me chicks don't need it after 10 DAYS!!! I have heard only the opposite from BYC. Should I worry too many nights without light they will die from being cold?

 

[noodleroo]

I worry about them being cold too, but they don't seem to be. Mine will be 2 wks old on Sunday and I put them outside in the tractor 3 days ago. They love it. We turned the light off last night and they were fine. I turned it on before dark today to warm up the coop and turned it off before dark so they can used to going in at 'dark'. Its in the upper 70s at night so they are fine. I worry too much...