When does Light go away?

[OrpingtonHopeful]

We have a while, I know- Our babies are only a week old, but I am already wondering about the transition to the coop-

We don't plan to wire our coop for electric- So I know these guys shouldn't need a heat lamp too much longer (they already shun the area under the lamp and I have it as high as I can get it- its only 125 watts), but what about the need for light-

I think it was in the Joy of Raising Chickens that I read the author's brooder box light had gome out and all her baby chicks panicked in the dark and drowned in their own water dishes and trampled each other- So if we don't have a light in our coop will we have a problem or does that fear of the dark go away?? Is there a way to gently introduce them to dark?

Also we plan to finish our coop and then build our run- I hope to be able to let them play outside a little each day with supervision maybe in a bottomless refridgerator box or something....Will they be ok mostly 'cooped' up for a few weeks? Will the noise of construction scare them to death?

Any other advice for transitioning them to the coop?

 

[TrixiePA]

I had read in Storey Guide to Raising Chickens that you should turn off the light for 1/2 hour each day, during daylight hours so that they can adjust to the lights out slowly and won't panic.

Since my 28 dayers are off the heat lamp totally I have their brooder close to the younger ones so that they are close to the others red heat lamp but almost in the dark at night.

I'm hoping this will lead to gradual acceptance of the total dark.

Good Luck

 

[toletiquesbysam]

My chicks are 5 weeks old and we moved them out to our coop Monday evening. No power in the coop-so no light. I've got 25chickens and 3 ducks and 2 geese all in the coop. The ducks will cuddle with the chicks, the geese were raised apart so they aren't as willing! It's been high 50's low 60's in the night so probably should have waited another week or so but they seem to be doing fine! If you are able to put a light out with them in the coop then you can move them out sooner, otherwise I've heard when they are fully feathered about 5-6weeks.