Lights

[naadarien]

So I noticed over the last few days, now that chicks no longer need the heat lamps on (the ambient temperature is plenty), that when I turn off the light their room at night (when I go to bed), the chicks start chirping like crazy. If I go back and turn the light on they quiet down. Turn it off again, and there is again a cacophony.

Is it just because they are used to the light? When I moved them out to the coop, which could be as early as this weekend, should I leave a light going out there? At some point, they go to sleep so wouldn't they want the light off?

Just wondering...and trying not to traumatize my chickies.

 

[Ridgerunner]

They are afraid of the dark since they are not used to it. You have two choices I can think of.

When you put them outside, turn off the lights and walk away. They’ll get over it. Mine always do.

Work up a routine where you turn the lights off for a short while, then turn it back on. Keep leaving the light off for longer bits of time, weaning them from the light. They’ll get over this too, but you’ll feel like you’re doing something for them. Sounds like that is important to you.

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

Yep- they're just used to the light. Chickens hate change. Leave it off and let them get used to sleeping in the dark, then they'll be good to go when you put them in the coop

 

[sweetie pie]

I am having the same problem......every night as soon as I turn the bedroom light off they start peeping so loud. I turn it back on they are fine. The last two nights I always go back and turn it on. I go back and turn it off about midnight when they are asleep sound and they are fine. I do have to figure out something before they go out to the coop in a few weeks

 

[naadarien]

Oh I'm not worried about it. Just wondered.

I'm not sure that it matters when I think about it. Won't they need a heat lamp in the winter out in the coop or will they be all right in the cold (it averages in the upper 20's for much of the winter, but January can drop to 0 or lower here) without it? Sure. They eventually go to sleep now after the light has been off, but if they need the heat lamp to keep warm, it seems like they'll just have to get used to having to sleep with the light on or off. KWIM?

Thanks!

 

[Mtn Laurel]

Went through the same with our chicks. The sad peeps sounded so distressed that I got a red party bulb and used that in place of their red heat lamp. It gave them some light but not very bright, just enough for them not to be frightened.

They've now been moved into a tractor and I keep a light on in the coop portion so that they'll enter it to roost at night. I turn it off when I lock them up but they get some ambient light through a window from our outdoor light.

Funny . . . it's just like having little kids all over again!

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

Oh I'm not worried about it. Just wondered.

I'm not sure that it matters when I think about it. Won't they need a heat lamp in the winter out in the coop or will they be all right in the cold (it averages in the upper 20's for much of the winter, but January can drop to 0 or lower here) without it? Sure. They eventually go to sleep now after the light has been off, but if they need the heat lamp to keep warm, it seems like they'll just have to get used to having to sleep with the light on or off. KWIM?

Thanks!

This is just my opinion, so take it for what its worth, but heating the coop in winter is not necessary. In fact, I personally believe its detrimental (unless your chickens stay in that coop all winter). If they're going from a warm coop to frigid winter air, it may be a shock to them.
My Silkies spent last winter in an uninsulated coop with no heat source of any kind (with access to their secure run), temps sometimes got down into the -teens and they were just fine. All your birds need is a dry, draft free place to sleep. Their feathers will keep them warm. There's a reason folks wear down jackets when its cold, feathers are toasty!

 

[Ridgerunner]

Yeah, I’ve seen full sized dual purpose chickens sleeping outside in trees when the temperature was around zero Fahrenheit. They were not on a limb of a dead tree up on the ridgeline screeching defiance in the teeth of a blizzard. That’s something you’d see on Disney. They were in a protected valley in a thick tree and could move to get behind a trunk to get out of a direct wind, but they had no frostbite or any other damage. They were acclimated to it, sleeping outside year round. They had a coop they could have gone inside if they wanted to.

I don’t let mine stay outside here because of the predator problem. And those were dual purpose chickens not Silkies or other decorative breeds. From what I’ve seen, I’m convinced regular adult chickens don’t need much more than a well-ventilated place out of direct breezes to do well in cold weather if they are acclimated to it.

Maybe instead of projecting how you would feel perched on that roost naked in that weather, project a bit on how the wild birds that overwinter in your area might feel. I do think ventilation is important and I do think giving them an option to get out of a direct breeze is also important.

 

[azygous]

I noticed this problem with my first few batches of brooder chicks, not being willing to be in the dark after they no longer needed the higher temps at night.

So with subsequent brooder batches, I would drape a dark red cloth over the brooder between the chicks and the heat lamp (careful the cloth didn't come into contact with the bulb) when it was time for "night". This way, they became accustomed early on to the natural rhythm of day and night.

When they no longer needed the extra heat at night, they adjusted to the darkness with minimal fuss.

 

[BJ37]

So at what age are they ready for a day/night routine? It appears mine are on about a half, or one hour routine. In the brooder they liked to sleep for 10 or 15 minutes, then get very active, eating and drinking. They also liked to try out their legs, wings, and of course get into occasional pecking order try-outs. Then before long, they were back to nap time. Last night was the first night in the coop, so I had to sneak out about midnight and checked on them. I had left a very dim light and the heat lamp turned down to low. They were having all kinds of fun, checking out all the room. In the daytime there is more light and this morning when I went out, they were going strong.