When do they stop using the heating pad?

[SarahMcChicken]

This is my first time raising chicks and I'm using the mama heating pad method. Love it! However, my chicks are now 3 weeks old and the largest one (a black cornish) screams at night that she is cold and I have to turn up the pad to the highest setting again (I turn it down a couple notches during the day) before she quiets down. They no longer get under but all like to lay on top of it at night. I'm in Arizona and I don't have the air conditioning on yet- but it's around 80 degrees here in the house. They are also in the house. At what point do they start weening themselves off of the heating pad? I thought the heating pad would be down a few notches by now. Or do I just have some super spoiled chickens? lol

 

[ChickenCanoe]

80F should be more than warm enough for 3 week old chicks. Perhaps raise the blanket so they can fit under it again.
You can set it up on wood or bricks so they have more space.

 

[junebuggena]

They probably no longer need the heat at all. I'd remove the pad cave entirely and replace it with a cardboard 'huddle box'. She may be objecting to no longer feeling the security of the cave, rather than the temperature.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

That plus lights out time usually have them complaining for a bit.