Any Tips to starting chicks outdoors?

[RainyDayChickens]

I've been really intrigued by the idea of setting my "brooder" up outdoors, attached to my coop, and raising day old chicks there from the start.
My biggest questions are:
- where to start?
- what are the most needed supplies?
- will the chicks be able to handle a sudden freeze? (if they have a heat pack or some sort of course)
- and are the benefits I read so much about actually true? It sounds almost to good!

I plan to do May chicks, and an outdoor setup might be perfect for me if it's really safe and going to keep my soon to come chicks happy!
The types of chicks I plan for are Americanas, cochin, salmon faverolle, orphingtons, and a couple others.
I appreciate any help! Have an amazing day~☆

 

[rosemarythyme]

You didn't mention, but I assume you've brooded chicks before? It's not really any different than setting up an indoor brooder, it's just compensating for the weather really. So no difference in supplies for me except I switched from a heat lamp (would've done so anyway) to a mama heating pad.

I've never brooded chicks down to freezing, though some members have done so, so it's certainly possible, as long as you can account for drafts and can keep the brooding area dry as possible.

Is the plan to have the brooder inside the coop, or outside (and in the run? or external?) If it's in the coop it really is just like setting up an indoor brooder, but if it's in the run/outside then you need to think about wind direction, drainage, and how to account for rain.

Anyhow, just to give you ideas if you're looking to set up a brooder outside the coop: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/short-on-time-recycle-a-prefab-brooder.73985/

 

[gunslinger33]

@RainyDayChickens make sure your brooder is snake proof. Obviously if it's cold (below 60) you don't have to worry but on warm days they can be a concern for chicks sub four weeks old.

 

[MadGardener]

I'm brooding my 1st chicks outside under a "mama heating pad." I did find the first couple days nerve wracking as my brooder box opens from the top and I couldn't observe my chicks under the heat. I now know they sleep a lot the first couple days.

The past 2 nights have been around 30F here and they are fine. We even had snow and sleet. They'll make short trips out from heat for food and water. More bopping around during the warm part of the day. They seem to relish the shaft of afternoon sun that shines in come afternoon.

I have allergy issues so I'll be brooding outdoors in the future.

This article has been very helpful for me: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/yes-you-certainly-can-brood-chicks-outdoors.68067/

 

[jreardon1918]

Our chicks are now about 12 days old. They have been outside for a week. They too have a MHP as heat source. They sleep under it. They rest of the day they explore the brooder. The floor is the same deep litter as the run. No cleaning as they scratch in the poops just like the big girls. They can see the big girls. Last night the brooder got down to 41F. Just checked on them (6:30AM) and they were already up and away from the MHP. This system works great to help integrate, avoid heating issues in a closed box. Good luck.

 

[NatJ]

- will the chicks be able to handle a sudden freeze? (if they have a heat pack or some sort of course)

If the chicks have a place that is warm enough, they are fine. That warm place can be a heat lamp in one corner of their brooder, or a heating pad cave, or maybe a brooder plate. Some of the brooder plates list minimum temperature to use them, so they may not put out enough heat during a freeze.

Even day-old chicks can run out of the warm place into a cooler area for a few minutes, then come back and warm up. So there is no need to heat their entire area.

If the chicks themselves are warm enough, the only other issue with a sudden freeze is that their water can freeze and then they get thirsty. You can bring out fresh water first thing on cold mornings, or move the water close enough to get a little heat from whatever heat source the chicks have. You don't need the water actually warm, just not covered in ice.

- and are the benefits I read so much about actually true? It sounds almost to good!

Benefits I know are true:
--when the chicks are outside, so are their dust and their smells and their mess.
--when the chicks are outside from the first day, the person does not fret about when they are feathered enough to move out.
--if outdoor brooding lets you provide a bigger brooder, you have all the benefits of that too (less picking, more space to get away from the heat so less chance of overheated chicks, etc.)

For other benefits, it depends on what you've read. Some are probably true, at least for some people.

- what are the most needed supplies?

You need pretty much the same supplies to brood chicks outdoors as you would anywhere else:

--safe place (no predators, no rain, no heavy wind whipping through, shade from sun)
--heat source that also leaves part of the area cool
--feeder & food, waterer & water
--something underfoot for them to walk on (can be grass, bare ground, or any kind of bedding that would otherwise be suitable for chicks.)

 

[3KillerBs]

My Easter hatch-a-long chicks moved out of the incubator into the outdoor brooder on Monday despite Frost Advisories for their first two nights out there.

I'm running dual heat sources -- a Big Red Bulb to keep the ambient temperature of the central area warm enough for the brooder plate to function optimally. Once the cold snap is over I'll turn the light off and use just the plate.

My issue is usually worrying about it being too hot rather than too cold and I had a long thread of advice a couple months ago the first time I had to do that.

My Outdoor Brooder is huge -- 4x8 -- because it's a converted small run that I was given. https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/run-to-outdoor-brooder-conversion.76634/

I divide it roughly in half for the first week because of all the horror stories about chicks getting lost and not able to find their heat but my experience is that however many chicks I have, they start using the entire space as soon as I make that space available.

I will admit that when not hatching chicks during a case of severe bronchitis, I generally check on them once or twice in the middle of the night. They're always fine, though sometimes I need to move the lamp up and down on it's change or switch to a different wattage bulb.

 

[RainyDayChickens]

My Easter hatch-a-long chicks moved out of the incubator into the outdoor brooder on Monday despite Frost Advisories for their first two nights out there.

I'm running dual heat sources -- a Big Red Bulb to keep the ambient temperature of the central area warm enough for the brooder plate to function optimally. Once the cold snap is over I'll turn the light off and use just the plate.

My issue is usually worrying about it being too hot rather than too cold and I had a long thread of advice a couple months ago the first time I had to do that.

My Outdoor Brooder is huge -- 4x8 -- because it's a converted small run that I was given. https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/run-to-outdoor-brooder-conversion.76634/

I divide it roughly in half for the first week because of all the horror stories about chicks getting lost and not able to find their heat but my experience is that however many chicks I have, they start using the entire space as soon as I make that space available.

I will admit that when not hatching chicks during a case of severe bronchitis, I generally check on them once or twice in the middle of the night. They're always fine, though sometimes I need to move the lamp up and down on it's change or switch to a different wattage bulb.

Thank you! That's very helpfull!

 

[RainyDayChickens]

My Easter hatch-a-long chicks moved out of the incubator into the outdoor brooder on Monday despite Frost Advisories for their first two nights out there.

I'm running dual heat sources -- a Big Red Bulb to keep the ambient temperature of the central area warm enough for the brooder plate to function optimally. Once the cold snap is over I'll turn the light off and use just the plate.

My issue is usually worrying about it being too hot rather than too cold and I had a long thread of advice a couple months ago the first time I had to do that.

My Outdoor Brooder is huge -- 4x8 -- because it's a converted small run that I was given. https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/run-to-outdoor-brooder-conversion.76634/

I divide it roughly in half for the first week because of all the horror stories about chicks getting lost and not able to find their heat but my experience is that however many chicks I have, they start using the entire space as soon as I make that space available.

I will admit that when not hatching chicks during a case of severe bronchitis, I generally check on them once or twice in the middle of the night. They're always fine, though sometimes I need to move the lamp up and down on it's change or switch to a different wattage bulb.

Okay thank you so much! Feeling much better about trying this!

 

[RainyDayChickens]

If the chicks have a place that is warm enough, they are fine. That warm place can be a heat lamp in one corner of their brooder, or a heating pad cave, or maybe a brooder plate. Some of the brooder plates list minimum temperature to use them, so they may not put out enough heat during a freeze.

Even day-old chicks can run out of the warm place into a cooler area for a few minutes, then come back and warm up. So there is no need to heat their entire area.

If the chicks themselves are warm enough, the only other issue with a sudden freeze is that their water can freeze and then they get thirsty. You can bring out fresh water first thing on cold mornings, or move the water close enough to get a little heat from whatever heat source the chicks have. You don't need the water actually warm, just not covered in ice.


Benefits I know are true:
--when the chicks are outside, so are their dust and their smells and their mess.
--when the chicks are outside from the first day, the person does not fret about when they are feathered enough to move out.
--if outdoor brooding lets you provide a bigger brooder, you have all the benefits of that too (less picking, more space to get away from the heat so less chance of overheated chicks, etc.)

For other benefits, it depends on what you've read. Some are probably true, at least for some people.



You need pretty much the same supplies to brood chicks outdoors as you would anywhere else:

--safe place (no predators, no rain, no heavy wind whipping through, shade from sun)
--heat source that also leaves part of the area cool
--feeder & food, waterer & water
--something underfoot for them to walk on (can be grass, bare ground, or any kind of bedding that would otherwise be suitable for chicks.)

Oh wow! Thank you so much for helping answer all my questions! I'll definitely be coming back to this thread to help make sure I'm ready, thank you!