When to remove the heat lamp?

[ruralretreatchx]

Hi all! I'm new to the chick rearing thing...I have 9 new chicks...all 2 1/2 weeks old. They are all growing like weeds, eating well (already have had meal worm, superworm and yogurt treats!) feathering out beautifully, etc. Here in Va it's been in the 80's and 90's all week, 60's at night. I have them in a brooder still with a heat lamp, and they stay on the farthest perimeter of the brooder when resting. I'm thinking they are too hot. My husband thinks so too...we have the heat lamp as high up off the ground as it will go. I just think with the summer temps and the heat lamp, it's too much.

I'm thinking of graduating them from the brooder and letting them into their coop but keeping the heat lamp in place, so if they get cold, they can go back under it. Is it safe to let them loose in the coop this early? It's 150 square feet, completely safe from predators, and they are in the coop now, but in their brooder. Even though we have put up a wall of chicken wire around their swimming pool brooder, they are on the cusp of flying out...they already hop and flutter dangerously close to top of the 2 ft chicken wire...

My fear is one "flying the coop" and not being able to get back into the brooder for warmth, food and water.

Any suggestions???

For pics, go to my blog: http://farmwithoutaname.blogspot.com/

 

[Fred's Hens]

Provide a little, lower wattage heat for the night. Watch and note where and how they sleep.
During the day, with 85F, there's no need for heat. It would be altogether too easy to "cook" them when the ambient temps are that high.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

Fred's Hens :

Provide a little, lower wattage heat for the night. Watch and note where and how they sleep.
During the day, with 85F, there's no need for heat. It would be altogether too easy to "cook" them when the ambient temps are that high.

Agreed. I'd just put in a 100W incandescent on a timer for night. Starting at 95 F and reducing 5 degree a week means at 3 weeks they'd like to be 80F. And many including myself stop heating after 4 weeks if outside lows are over 55 F.​

 

[cmom]

Quote:
I agree with the other posts. Also, I think letting them into their coop is a good idea. I have a coop that I use as a brooder coop which has a couple of heat lamps in it. I would turn the heat lamp off during the day and put it on when you go to bed. I agree they are probably too hot. I keep their pop door shut for the first few days while they are adjusting.

 

[ruralretreatchx]

Thanks everyone! My wonderful hubby is home today and has been instructed to "free the peeps!" They will have the heat lamp on during the night, so if it's a bit too chilly, they can get warm.

I'm so addicted to these girls!!!