Lighting for baby chicks!! They seem afraid of the dark!!

[daisy40258]

Can anyone help me out? I have 11 day old chicks and I am not sure if I should keep the heat lamp on them at all times?? We are having 85-97 degree days here and the nights are reaching about 70 - they are inside in my porch and not exposed to the outside at all - we turned the heat light off of them today during daylight for about an hour and they slept the whole time....but now tonight I just tried to turn the light off and they started chirping VERY loudly -I think they are afraid of the dark???! Is that possible?? Do they still need light at all times if the teperature is staying steady at 85 plus? I tried to just put a night light out in the porch for them and even that seemed too dark for them....any suggestions at all??? And does anyone know the amounts of time they need light at this age, is it 24/7? and when it can change and to what?? Thank you in advance for your help!!! Sorry for all the questions - first time chicken mommy here!!!

 

[daisy40258]

They haven't stopped chirping now since I tried to turn out the light for them.....does anyoen think it stressed them out too much? I only turned it off for about a minute at the most!!!!!!!!!

 

[ozark hen]

I personally found the heat lamp to be too much heat in this warm weather. I just put a reg. 60 watt bulb in or you can use a red bulb so it won't be so bright? If you need it tonight then I would switch to a reg. light bulb and leave it on just during the night. Yes, they do get scared of the dark. It will get better for them in a few more weeks. Hope this helps you?
no, you don't need a light on if the temp is staying that warm but maybe put a night light out there with them?

 

[daisy40258]

Thank you SO much for the assurance! So if I just keep the light on them during the night they should be ok?? They don't need a certain amount of darkness at this age do they?? Thank you again!

 

[ozark hen]

no daisy, they don't need a certain amount of darkness yet, wait until they go to the coop for that. Like I said, if the heat lamp puts out too much heat, switch to a reg. bulb. you can use a colored bulb that won't be so harsh but not many folks have a colored bulb around the house at almost one a.m. ha
Remember, you can always raise and lower that light to cool things off a bit.

 

[silkiechicken]

I dont think I'll ever use a heat lamp 250W! That's so much heat. I have to use a dimmer on a 100W bulb even with day olds outside when ambient temps are 40 deg. Granted I do have the in a small place that gets warm pretty quick even with a 60W. I usually give them a 15w fluorescent light at a month old.

As for getting them acustomed to the dark. I found easiest to slowly dim the lights on them as evening approaches and not have it fully off for the first few nights. After a week of letting them sleep under a dim dim light, one day just dim it all the way off. They seem to forget that it is off allthe way and just sleep. Good luck.

 

[barg]

We are useing a 250 watt bulb now, but it is hanging fairly high above them and is probably overkill.
I do notice that my chickens tend to make chirpy noises when they percieive night; even if night just means that A light was turned off and they have a little less light now.
They seem to have some night time chatter, not real loud and lasts a few minutes , maybe 10 minutes at the most.
BTW we have ours in the laundry room where they get light from a variety of different directions, depending on what light got left on

 

[daisy40258]

I cannot thank you guys enough for all of your help! I would be totally lost if it weren't for this forum!!! You guys are amazing - I left the light off this morning for them since it stays very warm in our porch during the day and will see how much they sleep during the day today - we do have a red bulb that I think I will switch to when night comes tonight and see if it gets them accustomed to a little bit more darkness! They are just so sweet and it is taking everything in me to not just bring them into our bedroom and cuddle them to sleep!! ha ha ha!! Obviosly I am a bit of an animal lover huh?!!

Does anyone know where to find a list of how many hours a day of light they need and at what ages?

Thank you guys again for everything!!