Lighting for Chicks

[jazzpurr]

I turned off the light in the brooder area last night and the 14 day old
chicks started to panic. When I turned it back on there where all in a group in the middle of the brooder. They stopped yelling when the light came back on.

I am planning on moving them to the Garage brooder tomorrow because they have outgrown the one in the mud room.

How or when do they get used to regular Sunshine cycles?

In General, These Buff-Os are very healthy and growing quickly. We lost 2 of the 25 early on but they are all great now. No pasty butt, no toe picking.
They are growing too fast!

Thanks for all your help

 

[Dawn419]

Chicks need the brooder/heat lamp on 24/7 for the first 4 weeks. I use 1 red 85 watt floodlight bulb...it keeps it from being so bright for them. Our brooder is set up in the Orchid Room so they get fake daytime from the fluorescent shop lights.

Hope this helps!

Dawn

 

[ebonykawai]

I don't use light to heat them at all, but a ceramic heat emitter for reptiles instead. Mine have been up with the dawn and to bed after sunset since they hatched. Though in truth, I do have a 15 watt nightlight that I use so they can find their food for the first week. After that, they are nature's chickens, lol.

Don't throw them into darkness suddenly. It's best to go with the regular night/day cycles of gradual darkness and gradual light.