Heat lamp use outside?

[slystr]

My chicks are 4 weeks old. I just finished the hoop coop and have hung a heat lamp inside. this coop does not have solid walls. It uses a blue tarp as a cover.my question is how high should the lamp be since the chicks are outside? the temp they have been used to has been the low at night of 60-65.

 

[bigzio]

slyster, I would go with 24" off the ground to start with. Monitor the chicks and see how they are doing. Pine shavings 4" to 6" deep will help to keep the young chicks off the cool ground. At least in the area around the heat. Sure don't want the chicks to get chilled now that they made it this far.

bigzio

 

[slystr]

Thanks bigzio. I think I'm going to keep them inside until next week. They will be 5 weeks by then and the likelyhood of 40 degree weather is much less. I'm going to seperate the chicks into 2 bins to give them more room and hope for the best.

 

[bigzio]

slyster, what state do you live in? I noticed green grass in one of your pics.

bigzio

 

[slystr]

I'm in Dallas TX