Do chicks with their mama hen still need a heat lamp?

[Liv_loves_chickens]

Hey everyone! Recently I had unexpected chicks hatch which has never happened before to me. (I will post the crazy story about it soon). Anyways, I have the mama, her eggs that haven’t hatched yet, and her two baby chicks all together in their own pen, but I am wondering if I should move a heat lamp in there for the baby chicks. The weather around here has been around 85 during the day and then it drops down to around 55 at night, but I know the first week the chicks need to be kept around 95. Anyone have any advice?

 

[SueT]

No no! They do not need a heat lamp! mama keeps them warm. And they can come out from under her to explore without you worrying about them. Really!

 

[R2elk]

Hey everyone! Recently I had unexpected chicks hatch which has never happened before to me. (I will post the crazy story about it soon). Anyways, I have the mama, her eggs that haven’t hatched yet, and her two baby chicks all together in their own pen, but I am wondering if I should move a heat lamp in there for the baby chicks. The weather around here has been around 85 during the day and then it drops down to around 55 at night, but I know the first week the chicks need to be kept around 95. Anyone have any advice?

No supplemental heat is needed for a hen and her chicks. She will provide the heat that they need.

 

[HappyClucker7]

They chicks don't need a heat lamp if they have a mom. She'll give them all the warmth they need.

 

[Liv_loves_chickens]

No no! They do not need a heat lamp! mama keeps them warm. And they can come out from under her to explore without you worrying about them. Really!

Thank you so much! Sorry, I’ve never had one of my broody hens hatch eggs so this is a new experience for me XD

 

[Liv_loves_chickens]

Thanks everyone!!! Soon I will post a link to this if you’re interested in the crazy story!

 

[Sonya9]

Not sure what the story is behind these eggs but you may need to candle them, some may be much further along in incubation than others and the hen will have to leave the nest within a day or two of hatching chicks which will kill any unhatched eggs.

Candling with a light, or water candling to determine which ones are viable and reasonably developed might be required (unless you know for a fact they started incubation at the same time and no new eggs were laid in that nest). If she abandons the eggs have a plan to keep any soon-to-hatch eggs warm until they hatch, then put the chicks under her at night.

 

[Freedomfarmer420]

What if its cold outside should I add a heat lamp to keep temps up or will moma be enough

 

[CoopBoots]

What if its cold outside should I add a heat lamp to keep temps up or will moma be enough

I'm not an expert, so hopefully you get more answers than mine...

How cold are your temperatures right now? If momma hen can hatch in your temperatures, she can keep them warm enough when she sits still. The only potential problem I foresee is temperatures so cold the babies can't come out to find food and water safely, and I don't actually know what that threshold is.

To combat this, I'd make certain momma hen has a draft free, rain-proof, wind-proof area with food and water almost immediately within reach, OR I'd set her up in a brooder with heat accessible (but not directly on her or the babies so they can choose it if they wish without risk of overheating).

I have a momma who has hatched and raised babies with occasional dips into the 30s (Fahrenheit), but it never stayed that cold for long and not during the day when they needed to be out eating. They did fine without any additional heat.

 

[Freedomfarmer420]

I'm not an expert, so hopefully you get more answers than mine...

How cold are your temperatures right now? If momma hen can hatch in your temperatures, she can keep them warm enough when she sits still. The only potential problem I foresee is temperatures so cold the babies can't come out to find food and water safely, and I don't actually know what that threshold is.

To combat this, I'd make certain momma hen has a draft free, rain-proof, wind-proof area with food and water almost immediately within reach, OR I'd set her up in a brooder with heat accessible (but not directly on her or the babies so they can choose it if they wish without risk of overheating).

I have a momma who has hatched and raised babies with occasional dips into the 30s (Fahrenheit), but it never stayed that cold for long and not during the day when they needed to be out eating. They did fine without any additional heat.

Yeah they stay inside the coop in the roost so now wind or rain gets to them. I wanna put a heat lamp up above where I set the food and water out so it will be warm where they eat and drink. As for temps the lows are in the 30s and 40s but one day dips in the high 20s