turning heat lamp off at night?

[dbounds10]

This is my first time with chicks and I dont have any idea what the temp in my brooder is. I go completly by how they act. They are 3 weeks old today and are very active and happy and have never huddled once. They are feathering out like crazy. I have an 8 sq ft brooder with 6 chicks and a 250 red light on one side. If they get hot, they move to the middle and other side and eat, scratch and practice flying. If they get cold the do the same thing just under the lamp. I have turned the light off a few times on days it gets above 80 degrees but have had it on constant otherwise.

I want to start getting them off the light soon so I will start turning it off for increasing longer periods of time as long as its warm outside. I would like to have them weened off the light by the time they move to the coop we are building since I dont have power out there just yet. I think you just need to go with your gut. I look at mine all the time so I know how they are acting.

I understand leaving the light on when you are not home is worrisome, not because of the cost but the potential for a fire or it falling down or blowing out but I have sucked it up and leave it on when not home only becuase I cant see or hear them when I am not there so I want to leave them an option for heat.

Just take all the comments in and make your own choices.

 

[koakritters]

my 2 week olds are currently in the bathroom- enclosed play area!!!- running around and they've been in there most of the morning, no heat lamp, it's about 70 in there, and they haven't made a sound. they're happy little chickys running around seeing what they can get into. they still get the heat lamp at night, but it's going off more during the day when i'm around to hear them complaining but so far no complaints from them!

they only get it for another 11 days anyways, then the newborns get the lamp and the brooder and they go out to be big chickys!

 

[MeowCluckBark]

I just have my 2 babies and I'm so new to this, but I have a thermometer in the brooder that they always knock over because it's shiny. I finally just ended up letting it rest against another side so it doesn't tip as much. I haven't been able to get a consistent temp but they have always been between 85-95 since I got them 2 weeks ago. I watch them and notice if they are trying to find a cool spot or if they are trying to find the warm spot. I often find them flitting about eating, chasing each other, or just having fun. I've kept my house at 68-72 for our own comfort. I have them in the bathroom with the door closed and it gets quite toasty in there with the light going. I found that if I put the side of the brooder right up against my walls, which are concrete, it has helped me keep the temp stable inside. The temps outside right now are 38-55. The girls won't go out until May but by then it will be almost as warm as the brooder! lol