Sunlight instead of heat lamp?

[ZaneyMama]

My 8 chicks will be 2 weeks old tomorrow. I just moved them to their bigger home - a huge wire dog crate with cardboard on the sides at the bottom. They are up high on our counter-height kitchen table next to the window so my terrier doesn't have direct access to them. The sun shines on them if I open the curtain, and they LOVE that. Today, I turned their heat lamp off for a while since they were sleeping in the sun on the other side of the crate. The LOVE that sunlight, and it's Colorado, so the sun is pretty intense and warm.

Is there anything wrong with doing this?

About what temperature should they be at now (at two weeks)? I read that they will feather out faster if kept cooler? Has anyone forced them to feather out by keeping them cooler than recommended? Mine seem to prefer it cooler than what the books say is good.

Thanks!
Sarah

 

[silkiechicken]

As long as they aren't huddling up and yelling that it's cold, they are fine. I don't measure temps in the brooder, they just get further/closer to the heat lamps. Sunlight is a good thing. I brood outside, and usually open the brooder door to let them roam around at a few weeks old. If they get cold, they just go back inside.

 

[write2caroline]

I would only worry about night time in the beginning and

They are very very messy - you need to know that in the beginning. I was glad they were in my son's bathroom - he was in Germany with school for the summer so he didn't mind having some hot chicks living in his bathroom!

Caroline