Question re chicken Lighting

[wejoly]

I am a complete and total newbie. I have 3 little chickens - 2 austrolope and 1 orpington. I think they are 4 weeks old now,,, and I do think I have a rooster (sigh). I'm going to have to exchange him because I only want hens.

Anyway - when I got these chicks I had them under a heat light that had a regular light bulb in- and it was bright - day and night. Then when I was here reading one day people were talking about a nocturnal light - I think its red based? Anyway.... I ordered it - and it says on the box its also for reptiles and it is 75W. So, I put it in the lamp and immediately my babies started to almost make a cooing sound? Is this normal? and they started to lay down almost immediately and lay their necks out and close their eyes. So please excuse this newbie, but I *think* they are sleeping? Do they make these noises and sleep in this fashion? The cooing is sweet - its different than the usual chirping. Thank you for any info - I always think I'm killing them lol.

 

[Judy]

Supposedly, they can't see the red light -- though I have my doubts whether that is true. At any rate, as aduts, they will sleep best if there is no added light in the coop but it has good natural light so they see day start and end gradually, naturally. And young chicks do seem qwuieter with red rather than white light -- although plent of people brood with white light successfully, too. At sundown they will begin to wander toward the roost for the night, on their own. That cooing and laying out sounds like a flock of very happy chicks. Sounds like you are doing something right!

As they mature, they will be quiet at night. If you change something, they may get noisy for a night or two, then they will get used to it and quiet again.

Mine always argue (chatter) some when arranging themselves on the roost, then suddenly it's bedtime and all is quiet.