My chickens are afraid of the dark

[foweler]

So it would seem.

They are coming up on 8 weeks (one 6 weeks) and I've had them out in the coop under the 250W red heat lamp since I got them 3 1/2 weeks ago.

Yesterday I bought a 100W ceramic IR lamp ( not as warm as I thought it would be) and replaced the red light, figuring they might like it dark to sleep.

Last night as it got darker and darker they just huddled at the foot of the ramp and wouldn't go up into the coop like they have been so I finally grabbed them and put them in. As I started to close the door my RIR started crying like a baby until I turned on the other white light I kept installed for the dark cloudy days we were having a couple of weeks ago.

Well, I changed the bulb back to the red one all was good again.

Is this common?

 

[gritsar]

Yep, it's common.
The first couple of nights after I turned my chick's light off they screamed like their world was coming to an end. They got over it.

 

[foweler]

I guess I'll have to man up and do it. It breaks my heart to think they are scared though.

I thought about putting a dimmer on the light and backing it off slowly