Weaning off the heat

[JesusLovesYou19]

I have four 7 week old chicks, the are currently in my garage, with a headlamp that is pretty high, and a heat pad which they don’t use. I want to get them off the heat completely, so they will be ready to move to the coop soon. The highs are the mid 50s and at night it sometimes gets down to the higher 30s. They go out side all day in our temporary run when it’s nice out, and come in when the sun starts to set. How can I begin to take them off the heat lamp completely? How can I tell if they are too cold at night? How can I tell if they are fully feathered?
P.s I don’t know there breeds, I hatched them from eggs that a friend gave me.

 

[kattabelly]

Just take them off, they don't need heat at that age and those temps.

 

[JesusLovesYou19]

Just take them off, they don't need heat at that age and those temps.

Ok but isn’t it going be a shock to go from heat to no heat?

 

[ChickQueen77]

This spring I got some started chicks that were almost fully feathered and almost weaned off heat lamps, but I would still turn the lamp on at night and off in the daytime for a couple weeks and then I just left it off all the time

 

[Penpal]

If they mostly aren't using the heat it is because they don't need it. The ones still using the heat probably are doing it from habit.

 

[kattabelly]

Ok but isn’t it going be a shock to go from heat to no heat?

I wouldn't worry at those temperatures. Give them something like a cardboard box lined with straw to sleep in for extra insulation if you're really worried, assuming they aren't already roosting.

 

[Ridgerunner]

They are 7 weeks old. Most chicks are fully feathered at 4 weeks, a few may wait until 5 weeks. Your chicks can handle your temperatures without problems. You do not need to get them used to colder temperatures, not in the upper 30's Fahrenheit. I've had chicks younger than that go through nights in the mid 20's Fahrenheit without problems.

The chicks don't need it but for your benefit you can leave the heat plate in there for a few nights. If they need it they will use it. There is nothing wrong with making you feel better.

Why are you waiting to move them to the coop? There could be many good reasons but if your concern is temperatures that is not a reason to wait.

 

[JesusLovesYou19]

Why are you waiting to move them to the coop? There could be many good reasons but if your concern is temperatures that is not a reason to wait.

Because are coop isn’t ready yet lol it’s a very VERY long story, but it should be here soon.

 

[Debbie292d]

All these chickens stay in the same jumbo pen; each group has their own hutch inside. I accidentally left the door to the pen open the other night. I freaked out as those little ones are only 3.5-week-old silkies, and it was 34°F that morning. I watched for a minute before thinking I'd have to rescue them, but they were having a blast. None looked cold. They all headed to warm up after about an hour, then back out they came. If I hadn't seen this with my own eyes, I'd have never believed it!

Their hutch has a Cozy Coop radiant heater in it.

Granted, they have been out here since they were a day old. HUGE difference from those we've raised indoors. Otherwise, I get them out when they're about 2 weeks old in the summer, 6 weeks old in the winter.

 

[JesusLovesYou19]

They are off the heat now thank you for all the information