Raising chicks

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skyfilly

skyfilly

In the Brooder
5 Years
Feb 6, 2014
14
0
22
Nova Scotia
Hi all,

I bought day old chicks but they are almost a month old now.
My question is when can I start weaning them of the heat lamp? Or taking it away altogether, they are in my house, I just moved them to the basement but it's not cold down there. I made it so I lifted the lamp farther away from them and they seem to be fine with that, their not cold. They have most of their feathers now. Soon they will be too big and I won't be able to keep them in my house for much longer because they will be everywhere, so I was just wondering about the heat. How long they should have it.

Thanks
 
By the time they are fully feathered (around 6-7 weeks) they will not need the extra heat any more. To help them acclimatise I switch the heat lamp off during the day for the last week indoors and then at night as well for 2-3 nights before moving them to coop.
 
Hello :frow and Welcome To BYC! Sumi gave you some good advice. As long as they have a dry draft-free coop chicks, are usually fine outside when they are six weeks or so unless it is really cold.
 
Hello there and welcome to BYC!
frow.gif


You have been given some great advice! So I will just wish you all the best with your new chicks!!
 
Welcome to BYC! Please make yourself at home and we are here to help.

One month is about the time that the heat lamp should be removed. Decrease the temp by five degrees each week leading up to it.
 
Sumi gave you good advice. But, if you don't want the chicks getting out(in the house) and running around everywhere. Put a wire top over the brooder box.
 
I start putting them in and around the coop on nice sunny days at about a month old so they get used to foraging, and they can meet the rest of the flock. They chest bump and try to fly and land on each other. They seem to be so happy. I sit with them the first few days, then I just keep an eye on them after that when I'm sure they wont wander far. I scoop them up at night and bring them in under the light again. Lastnight was my chicks first night out. I put them in the coop, in a cage with a light just to make sure they don't get picked on, and So the rest of the flock can get used to them. Its getting chilly at night, so they defenitely still need a light. I keep grates up against the wall in the coop that they can hide behind. They are secure so they wont fall over and I hang the light so it shines through. This is where all the babies hide until they get too big to get behind it. I can put my chicks out early because my roo is a brahma and is kind hearted. He's ok with most anything. The most important thing I have done is put fake owls out sitting on fence posts around the coop. We have had a lot of hawk deaths in the past. So far so good since the owls. As far as lights, I leave a light in the coop for a few months. That way on chilly nights, they can stay warm when they need to.
 

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