outdoor temos for 5 week old chicks

[cass1776]

My chicks are 5 weeks old and are feathered,they need to go outside.I have the coop insulated but I'm wondering if I should add a heatlamp due to their age. Temps here are 20's to 30's at night and 30 to 40 during the day.any input would be great.these are my first chickens so I'm new to this.

 

[patandchickens]

For sure I'd run a lamp, and make sure there are NO drafts anywhere near floor level. What wattage of bulb to run, you'll have to experiment and see. YOu want the smallest wattage that still produces happy chicken behavior (spread out under the light at night, not all balled up right in the center of its light and still seeming cold, and not spread out beyond its periphery). Personally I would leave the light on during the day too, for them to use, until I had at least several days' track record of observing them never using it during daytime.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[cmom]

I agree with Pat. I have a brooder coop. I have some three week old chicks. There is a pop door I leave open during the day so they can go in and out. I also have a heat lamp in the coop where they can get some warmth if they want. The are in and out all day long. One goes in the rest go in, one goes out they all go out. They are so much fun to watch.