summer lighting in coop

[inle54]

I have 8-week old chic's and they have been outside for 2 weeks now. I have had the heat light in the coop for the last two weeks since the temperature drops below 50 at night. Every night for the last 2 weeks we have been putting them in the coop at dawn. The other day they finally figured out to go in the coop themselves when the light turns on at 8pm. Additionally, I have it turning off at 5am when the sun comes up.

My question is when we remove the heat bulb in another week is it a good idea to use a very dim supplemental led light inside the coop so they can find their way back inside to the coop and perch?

 

[Pork Pie]

In theory they should work out that they need to be in the coop at dusk, just before it gets dark. Theory and reality are not necessarily related, so maybe keep a bulb there on standby, just in case they refuse to "follow the rules".

CT

 

[TLWR]

My girls are in their coop before it gets too dark to see. I wouldn't worry about it.
If your 8 week old chicks have been out for a bit and are fully feathered, you could turn the light off now. They should be fine with the cooler temps.

 

[chickens really]

Yep, they do not need a heat lamp anymore. My chicks have been off heat since they were three weeks old.
The temp was only 10 degrees C.
They will be happy.

 

[Donna R Raybon]

Something along the lines of a child's night light. One of my chicken tractors has holes in top to fit tiny solar powered light that are for lining side walk. Nothing any brighter than a full moon.

 

[Kyanite]

Just another person in here to say that your chicks don't need the heat. Save yourself some $$ on energy and turn it off
My chicks are also 8 weeks old and have been out in their big kids coop for about 3 weeks. Temps here were 36-45 at night their first week out there. We hit 32 last night. They are totally fine and happy. They did get unhappy when we had week of daytime temps in the 90's though.
I use LED bulbs throughout my house, so that's what ended up in the coop for light too. I only had it on the first week or so to prompt them to return to the coop at dusk. Now they go in and out on their own. They have roosts, but aren't using them yet at night. They love to play on them during the day though.