Mama Heating Pad in the Brooder (Picture Heavy) - UPDATE

[Coop de Grass]

So much cuteness is hard to handle. To cute my kid's pediatrician, you should look at them very seriously and tell them that the problems is that they are clearly suffering "from an excess of cuteness!"

 

[Coop de Grass]

To quote!!!

 

[bruceha2000]

To quote!!!

There is a little pencil icon at the bottom of posts you make. You can go back and edit what the "spell fixer" has broken. We won't even know that there was an error.

 

[TexasChkn]

So I took my 9 day old chickens outside. It's a beautiful 75 degree with light breeze. They had a blast but 15 minutes in I noticed my australorps panting a little. When I moved them to the shade they stopped. My issue is I live near Houston TX and this is by no measure hot. How do I get them used to the warmer weather?
Right now they are in the house with a MHP because we aren't done building the coop.
Also... had my first encounter with a red tail hawk. He actually dove at them and didn't stop until he was 20 ft from me and realized I wasn't going to move

 

[Beekissed]

So I took my 9 day old chickens outside. It's a beautiful 75 degree with light breeze. They had a blast but 15 minutes in I noticed my australorps panting a little. When I moved them to the shade they stopped. My issue is I live near Houston TX and this is by no measure hot. How do I get them used to the warmer weather?
Right now they are in the house with a MHP because we aren't done building the coop.
Also... had my first encounter with a red tail hawk. He actually dove at them and didn't stop until he was 20 ft from me and realized I wasn't going to move

You could move them out of the house into a haybale or similar brooder to acclimate them to the temps gradually and before it gets too awful hot there. They will adapt, have no fears. Just provide double shade, if you can, and don't feed rich feed and they should do fine.

As for the hawks...well...if you are going to free range you'll need to develop some good duck and cover and getting them out earlier rather than later will help them hone their survival instincts quicker. If not free ranging but having a large run, same thing applies. Small run, buckle it down tight.

 

[bruceha2000]

So I took my 9 day old chickens outside. It's a beautiful 75 degree with light breeze. They had a blast but 15 minutes in I noticed my australorps panting a little. When I moved them to the shade they stopped. My issue is I live near Houston TX and this is by no measure hot. How do I get them used to the warmer weather?
Right now they are in the house with a MHP because we aren't done building the coop.
Also... had my first encounter with a red tail hawk. He actually dove at them and didn't stop until he was 20 ft from me and realized I wasn't going to move

The best way for them to acclimate is for them to be out in the coop. Make sure there is plenty of shade for them to use. And when it gets really hot, ice in their water and possibly fans. I understand some chickens like to make use of a sprinkler to cool off.

Red Tail Hawk!

Are they there year round or do they migrate north later in the year? If the former I'm afraid you will need a hawk proof net covering the run or you will have no chickens left in a short time. If the latter you will need to keep them safe until the hawks move on.

 

[TexasChkn]

They are year round. I live right next to a small nature preserve that surrounds a creek, so I have everything from skunks to Foxes to hawks to owls... I don't know what I'm thinking trying to raise chickens. No free ranging unless we are outside!
I'll try to start adapting them. Thanks for the advice!

 

[perchie.girl]

They are year round. I live right next to a small nature preserve that surrounds a creek, so I have everything from skunks to Foxes to hawks to owls... I don't know what I'm thinking trying to raise chickens. No free ranging unless we are outside!
I'll try to start adapting them. Thanks for the advice!

I dont live by wildlife preserve... but very near BLM land. So no free ranging for the chickens for sure. I will free range the Guineas and Sumatras.

We have ALL the flying preds.... and even desert foxes... according to nature literature. But I havent seen any.

Bob Cat and Mountain Lion too.

deb

 

[TexasLisa]

They are year round. I live right next to a small nature preserve that surrounds a creek, so I have everything from skunks to Foxes to hawks to owls... I don't know what I'm thinking trying to raise chickens. No free ranging unless we are outside!
I'll try to start adapting them. Thanks for the advice!

Howdy neighbor!! Where are you located? I am SW of Sugar Land.

Yes, the hawks and owls are always here. I have had several run-ins with them. TexasChkn, I don't know what your coop/pen will look like but you might try building a 'cobweb' over the pen area. I took heavy fishing line (50 gauge) and went from one end to the other. Ken put two poles up in the middle of the pen and ran a thin wire for me This arched the cobweb ceiling, so my husband could walk under it. He is 6'4". I was able to tie the fishing line off on the wire. The lines crisscross each other. The fishing line sparkles in the sun and supposedly that keeps the sky predators away. Since I put the cobweb up 3 years ago, I haven't lost any (knock on wood--my head).

We had a good old country storm about a year ago and we lost part of a tree. It fell in the middle of the pen. The tree bowed the line but it didn't break. I do have to repair a line here and there.

I also have an electric fence (located at the bottom of the fence).

Good luck and enjoy the chicks.

 

[TexasLisa]

I am not the best photographer but hopefully you can see what I did with the fishing line.