I have ten 3 week old chicks [brown leghorns and blue andalusians]. Recently I put their brooder box outside with a heat lamp over it. I've had to start turning it off during the day because it is so hot here [in GA, it is well over 90 in the daytime]. The chicks started panting and overheating with it on in the daytime. I'm leaving it on at night still. I'd like to move the chicks out to where my other chicken run is, but in a separate enclosure. But I don't have electricity out there so I can't do it until it is safe to put them out without the heat lamp. It is in the 70s here at night now, what do you guys think? Would they be OK without the heat lamp, or if not, at what age do you think it would be OK? Thanks! Kelly
I'm new to this too, so I hope someone more experienced answers too, but my 4 week old chicks have been outside with no lamp for about a week now. It gets down to about 55-60 at night now (I'm in central NY) and it's just getting warmer (actually think it's closer to 70 tonight). They've got a bale of hay out there that they've made a bed in and they've been fine (there's six white leg horns and 3 2-1/2-week old barred rocks). Actually tonight I went down to check on them just as the sun was going down and the little ones were not happy at all, because apparently the bigger ones have figured out how to fly to the roof (about 6 foot) and are roosting on the horizontal 4x4 in the eaves, the little ones can't fly that high yet. So I dug them out a smaller hole in the hay bale for them to cuddle up together w/o the older/bigger ones. They seemed fine after that. With these guys, the reason I took the heat lamp away is b/c I got another batch of chicks and needed it for them. It hasn't seemed to do them any harm though. I'd say your chicks would be fine w/o the lamp at this point, especially as you're in a warmer climate than me.
I keep the lamp untill they are fully feathered but I lower the temp to between 25 and 30 degrees when they are four weeks.
Mine hasn't been on fulltime for a week. They seem fine. They are in the house, though, the temp averages around 76-78, and they seem fine. When I turn it on now they get crazy, so I'm thinking they don't need it even though they are 17 days old now. They're not huddled around each other at all, eating, drinking and pooping just fine (especially the latter!)
well, on a lighter note, you can stop when it just about catches your chicken house on fire. like it did mine this morning, good thing my wife saw it and all my serama are fine. rememer to mount these lights good and be careful.... frank
hi dixygirl! Good to see a fellow ga girl with the same problems as me. Mine are 3 weeks and I put them outside in the brooder box two nights ago. The first night I left the light on and the "Dixie Chicks" (that's what i call them bacause their names are dixie and darling) seem a little too hot. So last night I left in off (especially because it was 89 when I went to bed) and they we fine this morning. Last night they just sat side by side on their roost sleeping. When I checked them this morning they were bright eyed and gently greated me little chrips. So unless it gets cooler at night than it has I will be leaving it off.
My third and last set of babies are 4 weeks old and still in the house but without the light. I turned it off 2 days ago since our temps are going up during the day and it's just too hot. I did this for my second set of babies too and they are just fine. They actually seem to like it without the light. Now if it was colder outside like it was for my first set of babies, I'd still have the light on for a few more weeks.