To light or not to light?

[jdr250]

Can my 5 and 6 week old chicks be without the light tonight? The temp is supposed to be a low of 68 and their coop is really warm right now. I turned the light on so they would go in, but I'm thinking I could turn their light off tonight. They've been with a regular hundred watt bulb the last few days. What do you experienced folks think?

 

[All about the EGG]

I know as much as you do...but mine all huddle on top of each other if I turn off the light! It would not hurt to leave the light on from what I have been told.

 

[morelcabin]

They will be fine...mine are in Canada, 4 weeks old and without a light for a couple days now, out in the coop

 

[gritsar]

How many chicks? More bodies = more heat. But I think they'll do just fine, so long as it's draft free. As far as them piling up, you have two choices. You can put in a very low watt bulb or a red bulb or you can let them get used to it. They will have to adjust to dark at some point. IMO, it would be more stressful for them to have light 24/7 their entire lives.

 

[jdr250]

There are 12 of them. They definately won't have the light forever because right now it's extension cords...lol Last night I got to pooped to wait for answers so they had the light but tonight I think I'm going to start weaning them off. Tonight leave the light on for an hour after I close them up and see how they do. Because they usually go to sleep after there close up snack so I don't think it would damage them terribly the heat is ridiculous last night we had on the ac.

 

[MissPrissy]

6 weeks and night temps of 70 - They don't need heat or a light. All chickens tend to huddle up to sleep in a group. It is not from being cold at this point. I have tons of roost space and they all try to sleep in one 5ft section. They will be unsettled for a bit in the dark for the first time but will settle down and sleep. The first night is always toughest - mostly for us, not them. LOL

 

[FWChicken]

My new chicks are 7 weeks old now. Having never raised chicks before, I was nervous about having a light for them. I had a small light (7w) I turned on for them at night for the first week. I would go out every night for the first week and pick them up individually and take them out of the run, up the ladder to the coop and shut the door, and then turn the little light on which was just outside a window of the coop. This weekend I didn't put them in their coop, or turn the light on. I went out there the first night without the light after dark and they were up on their roost inside the coop all asleep. Now i go out there around 8:15 and watch my Delaware herd all of them up the ladder and to bed. She is the same age and seems to have taken control of my flock of five. They are fine without the light.