What is your wean off heat lamp schedule?

[CowgirlPenny]

I know everyone has a different opinion about when they are OK without them and of course temperatures outside play into that. I can't even remember when we took the heat lamp away from our hens, it's been two years. I feel like such a first time chick mom sometimes.

But I also got them later in the year. I got our first hens two years ago at the end of Feb so by the time they were a month old, it was spring and there were no more cold nights. It's still pretty cold here at night so I don't think I'll be taking it away at night anytime soon but what about days? We are in TN on warm sunny 60 days, can they go without it for a few hours to begin adjusting to life without it? They are all fully feathered except their heads. They will be 1 month old Thursday. Should I start trying to slowly wean them off it next week, weather permitting?

 

[Muddy]

I'm still learning myself, and we are only on our third set of chicks, but I'm going mostly by instinct/intuition and what I vaguely remember being told and it's worked out so far.

I'm watching my chicks behaviour around the lamp and waiting for adult feathers. I think by watching them you can often tell what that need. I'm in northern Alabama, so our weather is similar. My chicks were hatched on the 21-22 of January. I'm not quite ready to wean them off the lamp yet, but I can see it's not too far off. I feel like such a new mom watching my chicks grow. Not ready to let them grow up, lol. I remember last time my husband ended up putting them out before I was ready. It was so hard to watch my babies join the grown hens!

 

[Chick Charm]

I personally have never offered heat after 4 weeks old, give or take a few days. I put my meaties outside at 2 weeks old with a lamp and let them adjust. I live in & have always been in warm climates. San Diego, Phoenix, S Mississippi. Usually at 4 weeks they want to get out & explore & will leave the area of the lamp for hours. It's pretty easy to tell when they don't want it anymore.

 

[jeepguy982001]

i live in southern wv and have done the same thing no heat during the day just at night if the weather was decent. I just use the same idea as if they was in a brooder. if the lights off and decent outside and they ain't hudling up their fine, My grow out pen is just a dog kennel with tarps blocking the wind. As long as the weather is decent by 4-6 weeks they are fine with no heat during the day, just my experience.