Move out day! Heat/light lamp or no?

[catchthewind]

We just put our 14 chicks age 6-8 weeks outside with no light, and it still gets below 40 occasionally at night. The 6 week olds (Silkies) aren't quite fully-feathered, though they do have feathers anywhere exposed. (Just under their wings is still pretty bare.) If it had just been the Silkies I would have waited or put a light out with them, but I figured the other 11 chicks would keep them warm. They've all been just fine. I think it depends partly on how many there are, but I just read in another thread here that it's pretty normal for a broody to kick her babies out on their own by about 3 weeks old.

 

[BlueBetween]

Quote:
Thanks Catchthewind, you have similar weather to us, so that makes me feel better. I got them a night light though, for their first night out!

 

[Pharm Girl]

I know they are fine without heat at that age, but I do spoil my babies and due to the fact that they huddle under the light at night, I know they like the mild warmth. I use a red 50 watt reptile heat emitting bulb from the pet store. It's just enough to take the edge off, but won't burn down the coop, which is good, because the grow out coop is small. Your babies will be fine with no heat, I figure it's a matter of personal choice. Here are mine a few nights ago.
Last night all three were on the perch under the light. It's low 40's here as well at night. Spoiled, I know, I know.

 

[BlueBetween]

well.. they are toasty warm in my living room tonight after all... we didn't get the coop done

Oh well! Thanks for all the replies, maybe it will warm up some before too long, I can only hope.

 

[epeloquin]

No heat needed.

My girls are just shy of five weeks and fully feathered and have been in their coop for three days. Yesterday morning it was in the 40s and I ran over their (my coop is about 1/2 mile from my home) to check on them and put heat on them. When I arrived and looked in the coop they were eating, a couple resting. They all looked at me anxiously waiting for me to let them out.

You don't need heat.

 

[jgervais]

Mine are all 8 weeks and have been outside for 2 weeks now. I live in Michigan and its still in the low 40's some nights. They have been more than fine with no light since 6 -7 weeks old.

Also, for some reason, mine prefer to sleep on their highest perch in their fenced run area instead of in the roosting house :-/ The high perch is right under a metal roof and is completely secure, and in the morning they all go into their roosting house to eat breakfast..... I dont get it... I thought they would feel safer and love their roosting house --- maybe they dont like the perches in it?