Newbie needs advice please....

[LittleFeat]

My 5 chicks (6 weeks next Mon.) have been in their coop about three weeks now and had settled in as I'd hoped. Put themselves to bed each night, at first stayed on the floor but gradually learned to move to the lower roost and then the highest one. They were so cute snuggling together. Each night since they've been moved out there, I've had a red bulb out there for a little extra warmth. They are pretty much fully feathered now and I decided tonight to start leaving off the light so they'll aclimate to cooler nights. Well tonight they had a hard time settling down and when they did, only one is on one low roost. The rest are on the floor snuggled together. It wasn't totally dark when I closed them in so they still could have seen the roosts. Sorry this is so long but now my question: Should I continue this with no light and just let them figure it out, leave the light on until they get settled on the roosts and then go back and turn it off, or 3rd option, continue to leave a light until they're a little older. I don't think the temperature is the problem I think it's just the darkness.
Thanks in advance for any advice! Oh and when do questions such as these become "Chicken Behavior" and belong on that forum section or what age do they no longer go under "Raising Baby Chicks"??

 

[chickenannie]

They still want heat and warmth. Leave the light on.

 

[miss_jayne]

oh wait, major edit, i read the age wrong! duhhhhh...

6 weeks. yes. heat. HEAT.

and then the lighting, they will eventually figure out the dark. but they may still do weird things in the dark unless you take it away gradually.

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
I agree. Unless you intend to keep light on them all the time - not a good idea IMO, let them get over it. It'll take a few days.

 

[LittleFeat]

Thanks guys! I went back out and turned the light on.....they immediately moved to the highest roost! I don't think they are cold (it's 80 degrees in the coop) I think they're scared of the dark, poor babies. I don't think I'll tell my NON-chicken friends that my girls need a night light, they already think I'm a Crazy Chicken Lady!!

 

[miss_jayne]

some people actually keep night lights in the coops. not me. mine get to 'deal with the real!'

 

[LittleFeat]

Yeah I don't want to have to add night lights. But I do have a deck light that's not too far from the coop that would give a little light that I could leave on at night. Probably not a bad idea to do that anyway. But since we don't get really cold winters here in Mid. Tn I don't want to get in the habit of having to have any light in the coop itself.

 

[miss_jayne]

light is just a nice easy way for predators to find their prey. just like lighting your home while away is making it easy for thieves to help themselves.

 

[soldieratheart]

Hey LittleFeat, where in TN are you? I'm by Springfield... there is a forum here for us TN'ers in the "Where am I? Where are You!" section of the Index! Hope to see you there!

 

[LittleFeat]

Quote:
Oh Hi! I'm in Murfreesboro! I was just reading on that post....I'll go post there. Oh and I'm jealous of your 10 acres!! I'm in a subdivision but want LAND!!!!