# 24 hour light on chicks



## lisa's garden (Apr 1, 2010)

Ok, I ordered laying pullet chicks and set up my brooder. When I went to buy the heat lamp and bulb, they were out of the red light and I bought the regular while bulb. The chicks came and they went in the brooder and have been happily eating and pooping and being little chicks. I never gave another thought to the red light bulb. 

Last night I was sitting and reading Storey's 'Raising Poultry' and read the part about raising replacement pullets for your laying hens. The author was very specific that you should not give your little pullet chicks more than 8 or 9 hours of light a day and you should not increase the daylight hours until they are close to 6 months so that you do not force them into sexual maturity. He says that if you force them too early, they will not lay as well, and could have problems with prolapsed uterus (?)...yikes! But he also says not to decrease the hours of light either.

So now I am wondering what I should do about the heat lamp situation in my brooder. The chicks are 5 weeks old and pretty soon I will set them up in a new pen with a heat lamp to keep them from getting too cold, but not as warm as they are now (around 75-80F, depending on time of day). Should I go ahead and replace the heat lamp bulb with a red light and just let them have the daylight that comes through the window? or should I change the bulb to a red one and provide supplemental light but reduce it? or keep the lamp the same and leave them with 24 hour light?

I thought I was ok with the lamp set up, but maybe I made a big mistake.


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## Rickstir (Jun 28, 2006)

I have done both red and white and didn't see much of a difference to tell you the truth.


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## Dazlin (Nov 26, 2007)

I 've had the a white light on 24/7, and all seems well, no difference. I also like to shut the light and move them in the sun for a few hours, if it's not too cold. If you live in a cold climate, maybe you can bring the brooder in, and place near a sunny window?


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## Guest (Nov 18, 2010)

I have always had a light on in my chick brooder 24/7. Have done hundreds of chicks and never a problem with it.

I don't ordinarily keep chicks in a brooder past about six to eight weeks max so the length of time you keep them in constant light probably has something to do with this. Once they no longer need the additional heat I start turning the lights off at night to accustom them to light cycles before I move them out to the grow out pens. They will still be a good three months, maybe more, from starting to lay. Plenty of time to properly develop.


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## lisa's garden (Apr 1, 2010)

Ok, I'm glad to hear that others have done this with no ill effects! Our outdoor temps are below freezing here in N. IL now and it is probably down into the 40's in the barn at night. I was planning to move them to a larger area soon and keep a heat light on them to prevent them from getting too cold...probably for the winter. If possible, I'd like to keep them and the laying hens from getting below freezing, since I have White Leghorns with big combs.

Thanks for the input!


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## wasculywabbits (Nov 15, 2010)

Just goes to show you -- can't believe everything your read. I have read through the Storey's book and like them but do not agree with everything they say. We have used the white bulbs with no problems either.


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## nathan104 (Nov 16, 2007)

Hmmm. Ive had a white light bulb in the heat lamp hanging in my chicken coop ever since they left the brooder. They are around 2 1/2 months now. Funny thing is if I unplug the cord to use it for something and forget to plug it back in before night, they will not go into the coop if its all dark. So, am I doing something wrong?


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## KSALguy (Feb 14, 2006)

no your not doing anything "wrong" your just keeping the lights on lol, its really not going to hurt them in anyway, its just messin with their little bird brains a bit thinking there might be a boogie bird in there some place,


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## lisa's garden (Apr 1, 2010)

I know what you mean about not agreeing with everything in the Storey books...I think that the book is written more for larger producers and it isn't very pro on the free range idea.

I would free range my chickens if there weren't so many dang dogs running loose!

I have moved the little chickies to their new surroundings with more space. A brooding area that has 2 heat lamps for more warm space. One is the white light and the other is the red type. I think that as they get older and need less heat on them, I will turn off the white light. Maybe I will replace it with a non-heat light bulb that is left on during the day at first and then get rid of that as they get used to the idea that there is such a thing as night time.

They are growing really fast and seem pretty healthy. There is one little cockerel in the bunch...a RIR. If there is anyone in my area that would like to buy him for just the amount that I have paid for him so far, he could use a good home! I already have a barred rock roo and don't need two roosters.


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