Do new chicks need a light at night in the brooder?

[EmmaDonovan]

Do one-day-old and two-day-old chicks need light at night so they can find their way to food and water and back to the brooder plate? It's an outdoor brooder so we don't have any artificial lighting in it.

 

[Alexandra Runner]

Nope! In fact, chicks that are raised with a light on 24/7 FREAK OUT (understandably) when they've outgrown it and it's turned off.

 

[Huntmaster]

Do one-day-old and two-day-old chicks need light at night so they can find their way to food and water and back to the brooder plate? It's an outdoor brooder so we don't have any artificial lighting in it.

As long as they are all tucked in first few nights knowing where their heat is they should be fine. But this isn't only for first night if they were under heat lamps to begin with, they may need some tucking in to get to know where their heat plate is at first also. GOOD LUCK.

 

[Ilovemychicks08]

I always shut the light off about 30 minutes to a hour before i go to sleep for the firs few nights to make sure they know where they heat is.
Then i start going to a sunrise sunset schedule they learn it only stays light this long then its time to sleep. They find the food and water fine in the dark.

Many feed stores leave the lights on so when i get them from feed stores they freak out the first couple nights then they adjust to it.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Do one-day-old and two-day-old chicks need light at night so they can find their way to food and water and back to the brooder plate?

No. If it is dark they aren't going anywhere. Chicks stay under broody hens all night and a hen does not have any artificial light. They do not go looking for food and water at night. If you supply light they will but they will be fine without light.

I always put my chicks in the brooder during daylight and make sure they find the heat.

 

[rosemarythyme]

They don't need light at night at all. As the sun sets the waning light will signal the chicks to find warmth and cover so they can settle down for the night.

For the first couple of days do make sure to check in on them right around/right after dusk, to make sure everyone made it in under their heat source.

 

[EmmaDonovan]

For what it's worth they are doing fine without a nighttime light. They seem to have had a good rest and are very active today despite it being overcast and rainy. Thanks for the advice!