When to remove heat lamp

[Skyoaks413]

Hey guys, my chicks are four and six weeks old still in their brooder in a storage room in my house. I've had the heat lamp on 24/7 so far, but now that the ladies are almost all fully feathered it seems like the room is too warm for them. It's probably around 70 degrees in there without the heat lamp on is it safe to turn it off at this point? I'm planning on moving them out to their coop in about ten days. Thank you

 

[SueT]

Yes, they are surely old enough to need no heat lamp at all. Mine quit sleeping under their lamp around 3 weeks, so I just removed it. They were moved out of the house and to their coop at 4 weeks, with nights in the 60's no heat, no problems.

 

[PingoBags]

Almost the same as SueT.
At 3 weeks I turned the heat off, at 4.5 they moved into the coop with nights in the 60's
I would have had them out at week 4 but I had a few things to finish on the coop.
I have a wireless thermostat in there to keep track of the temps.

When they were in the brooder, I had a diy thermo switch that would keep the temps at exactly what I wanted.
I cheated a little and would turn the heat down once a week until they started chirping, once they chirped, I'd turn the heat up 2 degrees to shut them up.
That allowed me to get them used to the temps faster and get the smelly little ***** outside, I mean get the sweet little fluffy chicks outside.

 

[sumi]

At this stage, if the weather is mild, I would move them outside for a few hours during the day, so they can acclimatise to the cooler temps and being outdoors. I have just moved 2-week old chicks out during the day, temperatures are between 60 and 80 degrees and they are doing great out there. I bring them in in the evenings still.

 

[Skyoaks413]

Thanks everyone!