when will they be okay without the lamp?

[ellent]

I have been reading on other posts that they will likely need some extra heat until they are fully feathered. I have four chicks, about 5 weeks old. They have feathers, but there is also still a little down poking through. They are in my laundry room, about 70 degrees, but it's on a cold floor. When I have tried turning off the light, they all go to sleep in a pile where the light hangs, so I think they still need it. Of course, I don't know how to tell if they are just thinking, "finally, it's dark!" and going to sleep! As soon as I turn it back on they hop up and start moving all over their big cardboard box. I am starting to worry that it's going to be hard to get them out into the coop--it's still in the 40s at night, and 60s to 70s daytime, but the coop is in the shade. Any advice? And if I turn off the light during the day, when it's warm, and turn it on at night, are they going to be very confused chickens? There is a window, so they get natural light.

 

[lemurchaser]

If you suddenly turn the light off, they pile up. I would turn the light off in the morning and then see what happens as it gets dark that evening. Usually by then they are adjusting to having it off. With mine that are outside by 2 weeks with a heat lamp, when they get to 6 weeks old, I wean them off by having it off during the day and then on at dusk, and then later and later until I just don't turn it on.

 

[midget_farms]

You would be surprised at how much cold a 5 week old chick can take.

I had a breaker blow in my unheated garage - so the heat lamps went out & it got down to 30 that night - By the time I noticed it was close to 45* in the brooder.

They did fine - the birds pile up on each other & keep each other warm.

I made sure to fix the issue that caused the breaker to blow. I didn't want to try that twice.

 

[rancher hicks]

I suppose you could make a little cave so they can retain the heat that rises. Put extra wood chips on the floor. I had a broody hen hatch in freezing cold unheated coop. I was surprised the two chicks were alive and better than some I've seen on this post. or put a heating pad on the side of the brooder.