when and how to stop heat lamp/light

[ausamerican33]

So my 11 week old chicks have been out in their coop and free-ranging for quite a while. I just have kind of left the heat light up, b/c we used it for heat, and then went on vacation, and are now back. So should I just go cold turkey (ahem, chicken) and just stop turning it on (it was on a timer for night time), or gradually wean them off of it? Any ideas? I didn't want the heat lamp/light to be a permanent fixture, but I also don't want to do something wrong. Thanks!

 

[Maryallison77]

I'm probably not much help....I stoped using mine at like 8 weeks, but I like in Florida and heat really hasn't been a issue here.

 

[gritsar]

I think different people do it different ways. I stopped using mine at five weeks of age. Okay, so my SO held my hand one night and kept me from turning the switch on. :| He insisted they'd be fine without it and they were. They fussed a little at first, but soon adjusted.

 

[MagsC]

I think you could just stop using it at that age, even if they may not like it at first.
As soon as mine are just a little more feathered, I am going to take the heat light away.

 

[kinnip]

As soon as mine start sleeping in the cooler part of the brooder, the light goes off. They get a little crabby at first, but we all have to tighten our belts these days.

 

[ausamerican33]

Thank you! I think I'll wean them off of it over the next week. Cut back one hour every night (it's currently on from midnight to 7am). Does that sound like a reasonable plan?

 

[kinnip]

Sucker! That sounds like they've got you on some mind control drugs. Don't let their cuteness fool you, they know what the score is.

 

[ausamerican33]

Ha ha! Yeah, I think my kids started me on the mind control drugs, and they morphed over to all the animals.

 

[Shogun99]

I moved mine from the brooder to the outside run at 5 weeks of age. At 9 weeks, they were moved to the coop and henhouse since there weren't any older chickens there. They threw a fit at first because they wanted to be back in their old run, but that was that! I left the light on when I moved them outside initially for about 3-4 nights and then they were just fine. When I moved them to the run with the henhouse, they didnt want anything to do with the hen house until I put the lamp inside. They got the idea and yet again...3-4 days later, it was off for good. Now I will turn it on when the days get cold in the winter, but for now, there's no need.

Good luck with your chix!

 

[Eggzactly]

I turned my light off around 5 weeks too....