Leaving almost 5 week old chicks home alone

[hensintheghetto]

My husband (who is a very very busy man) finally has a weekend off and made plans for us to go out of town overnight, forgetting about our almost 5 week old chicks. The chicks are living inside still, without a heat lamp (we've had weather in the 70s-90s the last few days). Weather this weekend is dropping down a bit and should be in the mid 70s during the day and around 50 at night. I don't feel super comfortable leaving the heat lamp on the whole time I'm gone, but I suppose i could.

We are planning on leaving tomorrow morning (saturday), having someone check on them Saturday evening, and then having someone come check on them on Sunday morning. We'll be back Sunday night fairly late. I guess I could have them turn the light on Saturday night and then back off on Sunday morning.

Can someone verify that this sounds like a decent plan? I don't want my chicks to die, but my husband and I could really use the trip!

 

[Spires6]

I think the chicks will be fine but I hate leaving a heat lamp on with no one home.

 

[Chicken Fruit]

Quote:
Wow.. why are they still using the heat lamp at 5 weeks old? especially in those temperatures? Unless its below freezing at night I dont turn heat lamps on after 4.5 weeks. Unless I have like 1-2 chicks who cant pile up and produce heat.

They'll be juuussst fine!

 

[hensintheghetto]

Quote:
We haven't been using it. I just wondered if they'd need it if the temperatures got down to the 50s at night again.

Thanks!

 

[gritsar]

I agree with Amos. I assume you won't be leaving your windows open to let in a cold breeze?
Just have someone come in to make sure they have food and water and enjoy your time away.

 

[Thomas423]

I would make sure that the water and food cannot be knocked over. Mine have knocked over their waterer twice this week. I have a bunch of rowdy 4 week olds. Have fun on your get away.

 

[yodercountrygirl]

We just got back from a 3 day trip and my birds(4wks) were left alone with a lamp on them and had no one to check on them... and they were just fine when we got back. But that didn't stop me from worring about them.

Go enjoy yourselves!!

 

[ChickenNoodle]

Please don't leave a heat lamp on when you're not home. It's almost like my occurence happened to warn you of the danger. Coincidence that you posted this question?? I dunno. I don't believe in coincidence.

I just finished building the new run yesterday and put my chicks in their temporary (doghouse) home in it with a heat lamp on. My mother (who lives in our inlaws quarters) called me today at work to say that my chick house caught ON FIRE this morning after I left for work. The heat lamp clamp loosened somehow and the lamp rested on the wall of the wooden doghouse, catching it on fire. My neighbor smelled and then saw the smoke, so he came and knocked on my folks door. He and my dad put out the fire. All the chicks were fine. Thank God my neighbor didn't ignore it or my whole setup (big coop, little coop and runs) would have gone up in flames. I took him some eggs from my laying hens.

 

[claud]

They should be fine.
I wouldn't leave the heat lamp on for the reason Chickennoodle stated.
Is there a way you could leave just a little heat on in the room they are kept. I don't think they'd really need it anyway but might make you feel better.

 

[farmin'chick]

My older chickies have graduated to a 65 watt bulb in a trouble light. Right now, the heat lamp bulb is too hot even for the little (10 day old) ones here in my part of Virginia. Try it out to see if they are comfortable before you leave home. I have a chicken wire top on their brooder, and the trouble light in its safety cage lays on top at one end, so they can still get away from it if it is too warm.