When to turn off the brooder light at night

[AZ RT89A]

I've got an ecoglow, so the chicks are using that for a heat source. But is there a certain time when I should begin turning the red lamp I have off at night so that they can get used to dark time?

 

[dandymandie]

I've been wondering this too! So I'm going to comment. My chicks act very shocked when I attempt to turn the light off at night... Tonight I turned it off early so that it would get dark slowly, I figured it wouldn't shock them as much as the light just disappearing! But my brooder is near a window with natural light. My plan is to just keep an eye on them and if they seem cold or anything I'll give them the light back. I hope someone with more knowledge replies!

 

[daisykristy]

How old are your chicks? I've been wondering this too. Mine are about a week and a half old and I haven't turned off the heat lamp at all, so it's always "daylight" for them.

 

[dandymandie]

My chicks are 4 weeks old. I followed the temperature guidelines as much as I could. And the light was on for 3 weeks straight untill I took them outside (the light got a much needed break and so did my eyes!) It's around 65°f in their area with the light off and they seem fine but they are older. I hope someone with more experience chimes in!

 

[PoultryCrazed]

Great question I've wondering this too, I have two and a half week old chicks but i also have 1 week old goslings in the box so i cant really turn off the light

.

 

[manychitlens]

If you use an ecoglow, you don't need to have a lamp at all, unless they can't always access the ecoglow? I have an eco glow as well and don't have a lamp. Actually I got it specifically so that I wouldn't have a lamp, because they make me nervous. The chicks are in my living room right next to a window that they can see out of (the wall of that side of the brooder is wire), so they just go under the eco glow and sort themselves out for a while when it gets dark.

 

[AZ RT89A]

Well its not a heat lamp, its just a red fluorescent bulb to give them some light. And they are about 2 weeks old.

 

[Ridgerunner]

People do it all kinds of ways and their chicks do fine. A broody hen keeps her chicks out and about when it is daylight and takes them to bed when it grows dark. Some people keep them in light until they turn the heat off. Some rely on regular daylight for light and use an alternate heat source. Some use an alternate heat source and rig up some break between daytime and nighttime with timers and artificial lights. Some do other things. All the chicks do fine.

If the chicks have never experienced dark they can get quite excited the first time they experience it. Some people turn the lights out for a short time, turn them back on, and repeat using gradually longer dark periods to get the chicks used to it.

My brooder is in the coop. When I turn the lights off I go back to the house. If the chicks get upset I don’t know it. They quickly get over it if they are upset. Tough love is an option. (Actually I turn the light off in daylight and it gradually gets dark. They don’t really get that upset.)

It’s a good question but the basic answer is that people do it all kinds of different ways and the chicks do fine. There is no one right way where every other way is wrong.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

I think chicks need to be about 3 weeks old before taking away heat for few hours at a time. It's the slow assimilation for them to no added heat to my mind. So starting at 90F first few days and raising light gradually to even reducing the wattage of bulb to wean them. Then comes my turning off heat for few hours during day to eventually at a little over 3 weeks they are still inside with no heat at all. 4 weeks old and my chicks are in a coop outside without heat. With late spring, early summer broods they are outside at 3 weeks.

Just the way I do it. My opinion is they don't need heat at 4 weeks old and morning temps touching frost now and then. Also feel it's good to gradually wean them from heat which should promote faster feather growth too.

 

[azygous]

To the OP's original question, with a 24 hour heat source other than a light, there is absolutely no good reason to have a light on when night comes. If the brooder is in a dark place, then a light source during the day would be necessary so the chicks can see to eat and drink.

Most all chicks will sleep at night, even if they have enough light to see. It's the natural rhythm of living things to be awake and eating for half the day and to sleep for the other half.

For those who are under the impression that you need to provide light for chicks to eat around the clock, you are misinformed.