Night temps in the 50s, too cold for 8 week old chicks?

[LaurelRidgeDreams]

I'm debating on whether I should turn off the heat lamp at night. Our chicks will be 8 weeks old next Monday. The heat lamp is up at ceiling height. Temps at night are in the 50s. Can I turn off the heat lamp?

 

[BoltonChicken]

Shouldn't be a problem as long as they are not in a draft.

 

[bobbieschicks]

My WLs are going to be 6 weeks old on Saturday. They've been in the coop since 4 weeks old. Lately it's been dropping at night to upper 50s & lower 60s. So I've been closing their windows before I go to bed and there's no heat lamp in there. They still huddle on the floor - I gave up trying to make them roost. But they seem to be fine. I usually find them up on the roost in the a.m. sitting in in their manure box - which I recently changed to sand rather than pine shavings. It's probably warmest up there. I read somewhere that most chickens are feathered enough by week 6 to withstand the lower temps.

 

[SteveBaz]

Remember that its warm during the day and heats up my girls sleeper and they seem to dig a deep bed in the wood shavings and all huddle up together anyway. It just is not cold enough a 50* I think. What did they do in much older times without electrical access or heat lamps. I tend to agree with the upper post no wind, breeze or drafts is important.

Steve