When to turn off the heat light

[Mama2BoysandBirds]

First off I live in Alabama. Right now the coldest it is getting at night is upper 40s. That is actually chilly for this time of year for us. The day temps are typically upper 70s lower 80s and typically it is in the low 60s at night. This is my first flock to raise. I have a covered coop and I have turned the brooder on its side with the heat lamp pointing at it. I attempted to leave the lamp off the other night when the low was around 65. I went to check on them thinking they would be in the brooder like they normally do. I find them huddled together on the ground in the middle of the coop. As soon as I turned the lamp on the went running into the brooder and took their regular roosting spots. ( I have some logs in there to teach roosting). I have Lavender Wyandotte, Silkies and White Sultan bantums.

Am I trying to turn it off too soon. They are about 12 weeks old I think. The Wyandottes and Sultans have all their feathers . Silkies have feathers but still look like fuzzy babies to me. I'm afraid I'm rushing things. Picture attached so you can tell if they are too young or not, hopefully

 

[Peppercorngal]

They look like they have plenty of feathers and don't need the light. But, if your coop and/or brooder are dark, they are looking for light, not heat! Chickens don't see well in the dark. Many times they won't enter a dark coop, I use "night lights" in my coops. It provides just enough light so they will enter at night and see in the early morning to find their nesting boxes. Before I did that they would just huddle together at the door and not go in! Once they were in they would lay early morning eggs on the floor. Now it is all normal with the night lights. I have 3 week old chicks myself. I turn the light off during the day and only put it on at night. They do roost under it. Our daytime temps are from 55 to 65 degrees. Night is in the 30's. Good Luck!

 

[aart]

They are about 12 weeks old I think.

They don't need heat at 12 weeks.
As they kind of told your here...

I attempted to leave the lamp off the other night when the low was around 65. I went to check on them thinking they would be in the brooder like they normally do. I find them huddled together on the ground in the middle of the coop. As soon as I turned the lamp on the went running into the brooder and took their regular roosting spots.

Did you just get them or have you had them since the were a day old?

 

[Mama2BoysandBirds]

They don't need heat at 12 weeks.
As they kind of told your here...


Did you just get them or have you had them since the were a day old?

I've had them since they were two days old

 

[Mama2BoysandBirds]

They look like they have plenty of feathers and don't need the light. But, if your coop and/or brooder are dark, they are looking for light, not heat! Chickens don't see well in the dark. Many times they won't enter a dark coop, I use "night lights" in my coops. It provides just enough light so they will enter at night and see in the early morning to find their nesting boxes. Before I did that they would just huddle together at the door and not go in! Once they were in they would lay early morning eggs on the floor. Now it is all normal with the night lights. I have 3 week old chicks myself. I turn the light off during the day and only put it on at night. They do roost under it. Our daytime temps are from 55 to 65 degrees. Night is in the 30's. Good Luck!

View attachment 2070258

I had not those about that. Where they were piled up did have some light from a neighbor's obnoxious street light on their back side of their barn. And where the brooder was , was in total dark. Night lights are a good idea, thanks!

 

[Mama2BoysandBirds]

They don't need heat at 12 weeks.
As they kind of told your here...


Did you just get them or have you had them since the were a day old?

They don't need heat at 12 weeks.
As they kind of told your here...


Did you just get them or have you had them since the were a day old?

I went back and looked at the calendar. They are 6 weeks old. Quarantine has me all mixed up on days. It is Blursday, corr8?

 

[Rooster G]

unplug

 

[Peppercorngal]

At six weeks they don't need the heat lamp, but a night light so they can find the place to roost for sleep may be helpful. Where are you located?