My chicks are wanting a colder temperature than what is recommended?????

[ASUJp4x4]

I have three black sex links and three new hampshires and they are now about one week old. Even when I have the temp set around 80 - 85 degrees which is colder than recommended, they still huddle on the other side of the brooder???? I live in NC and its currently about 80 - 90 degrees during the day and 65 - 75 at night..... Can I take them off the brooder lamp all together?

 

[lightchick]

I'd just turn the heat lamp off during the day and then turn it back on at night.
Hope this helps!

 

[ASUJp4x4]

ok ill give that a try. I've tried moving the lamp up and down and around and it seems that when its hotter than 85, they run to the other side of the brooder. It stays hot during the day and they're growing like weeds so i'm not too worried about them. thanks for the advice!

 

[ASUJp4x4]

at about a week and a half old, i let them out in the yard a bit and they seemed to love it. they did good without the lamp during the day 85 degrees and they realized they had wings lol. funny to watch them flap around and spread their wings for the first time

 

[lightchick]

I let my 6 day old chicks outside in 60 degree weather.

 

[debid]

I'd shut the lamp off during the day. It's clearly warm enough by their internal thermometer and they have each other to snuggle if they want a little warmth when they rest. I've found that chickens don't read and don't much care what humans seem to think they are supposed to prefer.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Also you can decrease the wattage in the lamp. So you can even put in a 40 watt bulb if you just want to give them a tiny amount of warmth. But do make sure they are warm enough at night...watch them cautiously.



I have found that one week olds like to be about 80-85....