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

[Fred's Hens]

We brood in an outbuilding, never in the house.

So, as time moves along, we keep decreasing the supplemental heat out put. I usually progress through a series of ever lower wattage bulbs until that time come when the only get heat at night and finally, they are on their own.

This being late Spring in North America, the pace at which one can acclimate them is getting pretty easy. 50F night time lows are not cold for a 5 or 6 week old chick. -10F would be cold for them at 5-6 weeks.

 

[Tonimiller143]

I live in Washington State also and have my 3 week old chics in a chicken coop with a heat lamp. I'm in Port Ludlow and our nights have been in the low to mid forties. Now I wonder if they need it on all the time or only at night...

 

[Fred's Hens]

I live in Washington State also and have my 3 week old chics in a chicken coop with a heat lamp. I'm in Port Ludlow and our nights have been in the low to mid forties. Now I wonder if they need it on all the time or only at night...

To me? It's all about transitioning. At three weeks and temps in the 40's? Yup. I use some supplement. BUT... just a 60-75 watt, regular old bulb. I would use the metal lamp assembly as it helps radiate the heat to a spot, whereas a bare bulb just radiates the heat in all directions, leaving very little to create a warm spot.

Just like when they were 2 days old, the idea is to create a spot for them to come and warm themselves. They will only spend time in the warm spot when they need it. The chicks' body language is always better than reading thermostats.

 

[GimmeCake]

I'm not sure if it will work but I got a 100w incandescent, which now they're illegal to buy or sell, but I got one! Anyway, would it work? Right now my chickens are all pecking at the bottom of my container (my brooder) where the pushed away all the bedding. I think they're looking for mealworms..

 

[Fred's Hens]

A hundred works well. As do flood lights. All these old style bulbs throw considerable heat.

 

[settingdusk]

Red bulb, nearby so they can sleep under it if they get cold.

 

[GimmeCake]

I also have some light bulbs that are old looking.

Here is one:



Also here is my brooder (although, it looks like some chicken got mad and knocked over the water container):

 

[Fred's Hens]

Whatever is done to provide a warm spot in the coop, remember please!!! Safety is number ONE.

 

[Island Chick]

I live on an island near Seattle, got pretty cold last night and was barely 40 when I got up this morning. I have a 125 watt heat lamp in the coop with my chicks, most are 6 weeks old now and on up to 10 weeks. The youngest have been in the coup for two weeks, almost 3 now and I leave heat lamp on 24/7 to keep coop around roughly 70. When it's warm I turn it off during day and a few nights I've left it off as well. If your chicks aren't too feathered, as mine weren't when I moved them out with the older ones, I had heat lamp closer to ground so they could snuggle under it when they got chilly. They self regulated very well though. They would run around outside then go in to warm up. Just made sure to dust the lamp daily and securely hung it so it couldn't fall and burn anything.