When do you remove heat lamps?

[tumnus]

Hi quail fam. I've raised four rounds of quail chicks so far. I usually pull the heat lamp at 3 or 4 weeks. First I turn it off during the day and then on at night to see how they behave, then off all together if they look okay.

My current batch of coturnix and (one surprise A&M) are two weeks old and seem to ignore their heat lamp. They've been moved to larger, more open cages to complete their brooding, and most of the time they don't even sleep under the heat lamp. I've popped a thermometer under there and see that it goes up to about 88 or so degrees so I know they can feel the warmth.

I figure another week with the heat lamp can't hurt or anything, but seasoned quail hatchers: what's your take? Do you think heat lamps need to be left in beyond the fourth week or is it generally safe to pull it early?

 

[Welshies]

I always ease them off of it when they are fully feathered, which varies from batch to batch.

 

[JaeG]

If they are indoors then 3 weeks is fine to go without a heatlamp, especially if they are showing no interest in using it. I usually turn the heatlamp off at 3 weeks old as long as the ambient air temperature doesn't get too cold. Even out in my aviary my Buttons, who do feather up slower than the Coturnix, don't seem to need their parents for warmth during the day from 2 weeks old, even in cooler weather (our aviary is well sheltered though).

 

[007Sean]

I wait until they are fully feathered out before removing the heat lamp. DISCLAIMER: This is the way I do things....It's my method, which may or may not work for you in your situation. HTH

 

[tumnus]

I've been thinking about putting my 3-week-old coturnix quail out in the garage. Been in the upper 40's during the day and upper 30's at night. The garage reflects those temperatures. Was going to leave in their heat lamps. Too cold this early or do you think they can handle it?

 

[JaeG]

As long as they still have their heat lamp (check the temperature under it and lower it if necessary to compensate for the colder air temperature) and there are no drafts I think they'll be fine.

 

[tumnus]

As long as they still have their heat lamp (check the temperature under it and lower it if necessary to compensate for the colder air temperature) and there are no drafts I think they'll be fine.

That's kinda what I figured too. I transferred them to open cages, but I might build a box that they can get into under the heat lamp to trap in some of that warmth.

 

[JaeG]

That's kinda what I figured too. I transferred them to open cages, but I might build a box that they can get into under the heat lamp to trap in some of that warmth.

Sounds good, as long as the opposite end from the heated area can get as cold as the garage. You could just peg up a blanket around the heated end rather than constructing something different.