Do I turn off the light in the room the chicks will be in at night or for a 1/2 hour a day like in the Storey book? I will have them in a spare room that has a window. I can leave up the shade and turn on the light in the daytime. I can pull the shade or let them have normal lighting as it happens through the window. I do have an infrared light bulb as well as regular ones for heat depending on the temperature of the room because it is 80 degrees naturally in there. My confusion lies with how much normal light they need. Don't they want the light out at night to sleep better? Thanks, and though I did search, I found the heating light and daylight kept mixing in the posts!! Ellie
If they are getting good natural light from the window you probably won't need the extra light. The tricky thing is if you do use the light during the day to turn it off early enough that the chicks don't freak at the sudden dark.
Thank you so much. That makes it so clear. They can be in natural light just fine. I appreciate the reply, Ellie
Hi Ellie - welcome to the world of baby chicks. You'll have so much fun. I'm on my third batch of baby chicks since April. First batch I kept inside the first week with a heat lamp on them at all times. Then they moved into their pen outside during the day and were brought back inside at night. By two weeks - they were outside in pen day and night. Day temps were hot/warm (70s/80s), nights were still 40s at times. The nights they had the lamp on in pen they would stay up all night and chase/catch/eat the bugs that came toward light. Was really funny to watch them - they never slept that I saw, just chased bugs all night. They would then nap a lot the next day. Second batch - went to pen from day I got them (at about a week old). Same thing - light at night - and they also played chase all night - napped all day. Third batch - just got this week were younger than any of the other two batches. The store had just gotten in day old babies. Guess where they went on day one? Yes, the pen outside - it's 100 degrees during day and 80 at night so no night light/heat lamp needed. They sleep all night and play all day. I rarely see them napping during the day like the previous two batches that had lights on them at night. I believe in raising mine as close to nature as possible and feed them all sorts of good veggies/fruits/cheese, etc. They only eat chick feed as a supplement. I just posted a topic on the feeding forum about them playing a hilarious game of "cricket" yesterday with some live crickets I bought. Those little 5 day old chicks really ate them up. Too funny. Point is, if their momma had hatched them she would have them running around farm yard from day one - regardless of weather so they aren't as fragile as you think. Have fun.
Mine don't get any lights at all. I have a ceramic heat lamp that just produces heat when needed. They're so sweet, they all go to sleep the minute it gets dark in their room (they also have the spare room in our house) I take them out now during the day, the have a new little tractor to run around and chase grasshoppers till the fall down and nap.
What great information. Nothing like experience of others to help out. Ruth, your post really helped me to relax about getting them. I too have warm temps during the day and 60's at night, so maybe after a few days of care in the spare room, I can put them out. I have a lot of acerage and a new coop for them though it is not finished yet. This is going to be so much fun. Thanks again Ellie