Turning off the brooding light week 4

[DangerChickenHouse]

They are inside. My house is about 70 degrees. What do you think?

 

[Highland Moongazer]

What temperature are they used to and how feathered are they? I'd probably go for it, but I don't turn the heat/ac on unless I have to so I tend to turn the light on at night until they're comfortable with the change.

 

[Fierlin1182]

Our light was off by 4 weeks. I just googled it, and 70*F is about 20*C, just a little cooler than the temperature in our house. I'd say you could trial it, and if you notice the chicks piling up in a corner, turn it back on. But usually by four weeks they have a good amount of feather on them.

 

[ButchGood]

My chicks are 3 weeks old. I was turning the lamp of during the day. Temps in the 80,s outdoors and about the same indoors. I noticed how peacefully they slept when it was completely dark. I decided not to turn the heat lamp back on last night. I just went in and checked on them. Its 6:00am their thermometer reads 75 degrees, they are sleeping together, but not on top of each other like they are cold. They look and sound very content. This is probably the first night since they were born that they got to rest through a complete night. I'm going to keep the heat lamp hanging just in case one of those freak spring cold snaps come through, but I dint think I'm going to use it again otherwise.

 

[hooadefender]

when i was a kid we kept our brroder out in the barn and the only heat was the lamp usualy by the 4th week my grandfather would turn it off completely and we live in vermont so not exactly warm weather. but being out there from day one i think the chick were hardened off more than the average chick

 

[suzeqf]

I've turned the light out on my 5 weeks old and they seem to really like it,

 

[chikenscratch]

Mine are 4.5-5.5 weeks old and they just moved outside this past Sunday. When they were inside we had turned off the heat lamp at 3-4 weeks of age, but now that they are outdoors we have the heat lamp on when the weather is below 60 degrees. Not all of them are fully feathered yet, but soon they will be able to have the heat lamp off full time.
So for your situation, I would consider the indoor temp above 65-70 degrees ok with noheat lamp, but be cautious when moving them outdoors if they are not fully feathered.

 

[DangerChickenHouse]

My main reason was so they could sleep a full night. I turned it off, but then back on after a few hours. I "chickened" out.

My plan is to keep them outside as much as possible during the day and bring them inside at night. I am going to put them (there are two) in a pet carrier and let them sleep in our room at night. I am soooooooooooo ready to have them outside full time. But, they are still two little.

Thanks for the comments!

 

[seminolewind]

I go by the chicks. I have the bulb at one end of the brooder. If they huddle together under it, they need it. If they spread out , I like it that way.

I put my 2 week olds outside yesterday in a mini coop on my patio. Last night without the light, they were spread out . Since it would get cooler, I put the bulb on. When I got up to check during the night, they were all away from the bulb, and it was 75 out.

Anyway, I go by the chicks.