Putting chickens out for the first night, should I use a heat lamp?

[GimmeCake]

Not yet, but very soon I plan on putting my chickens out at night, they're about 3 weeks old now but in maybe another week they'll be too big for the house. So could I like stick a heat lamp inside the chicken coop so they'll stay warm? Or are they too young?

 

[pipemum]

I moved my chicks out at 4-5 weeks, which is earlier than most here recommend. I also live in southern AZ, so cold is not an issue. I didn't take a heat lamp out to the coop (nights are 60-70 degrees). I did put up one of those inexpensive stick on, push button lights in the coop so the chicks didn't completely freak out in the dark. I used the light for a couple of nights. It's been a couple of weeks and the chicks are doing great.

 

[barnaclebob]

We put ours out at 5 weeks and they were fine. Temps were into the mid 50's at night I think. Gradually give them less heat to see if they really need it first and when you do put them outside check to see if they are cold or not.

 

[khoe]

I'm a wuss, and finally let mine sleep in the coop outside at 8 weeks, and it got down to 57* but they seemed fine. I made them warm hard boiled egg for breakfast.

 

[RoseMarie1]

I'm planning on letting mine out this weekend and I'm worried because they'll be farther from the house so I wont be able to check them as often as I do now. I just worry about snakes! ugh anyway I do plan on going around their pen with some of the bird netting so in case a snake tries to get in to get one it will get caught in the net and not get the bitties.

 

[Mehjr10]

They will do fine. I put mine out at 3.5 week and it got down to the mid 30's the first week.. They did good.

 

[Mrwinchester]

They will do fine. I put mine out at 3.5 week and it got down to the mid 30's the first week.. They did good.

Did you use a heat lamp ? I plan on putting my chicks in the coop next week they will be a month old, it's dropping down to around 40-50 deg at night.The landlord (my dad) is pressuring me to put them out.I don't think he likes the heat lamp. in the barn.

 

[Mehjr10]

Forgot to answer that part, they will be good without the heat lamp at those temps. They should be feathered out well and can keep themselves warm.. As long as they have a place to get out of the wind.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I have no idea where you live, not even which continent. I have no idea what your weather or temperatures are like. I don’t know what your coop is like or if you have adult chickens in the coop. I cannot speak to your unique situation.

My brooder is in the coop to start with and it is big enough that I only heat one area. The rest cools down as it will. That way I only have to keep one area warm enough and they can get away from the heat if they get too warm.

I have kept the heat on for five weeks, say when the overnight temperatures are around freezing or below. I’ve moved 5 week olds to an unheated grow-out coop with overnight temperatures in the mid 40’s Fahrenheit. In our triple digit heat wave last summer I turned the daytime heat off at 2 days and the overnight temperatures off at 5 days. Days, not weeks.

There is a whole lot more involved than just pure age. But if you don’t have adult chickens out there, you could probably have had them out there from Day 1.

 

[GimmeCake]

I live in Washington state. At the moment it goes to maybe 40 degrees at night.