Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[aart]

Benton Harbor!!?? That's a haul!
Very near me...between Lawrence and Hartford.

 

[iamfivewire]

yep - right near Hartford

 

[gladahmae]

Gosh darn dog jumped the fence and got ahold of one of the ISA Browns today. So I called dh and had him pick up another roll of 5ft fence to finish closing off the back corner. We took down the snow fence we had been using and put the new stuff up right away. And what does he do? Almost clear the 5ft fence. Aaaarg! Needless to say, he will be wearing the e collar outside at all times now. That's the 3rd time he's gotten into the birds and the 2nd time he's killed one.

 

[1muttsfan]

A couple strands of hot wire might convince him otherwise.

 

[5Pedschickens]

Hello everyone, first time chicken raiser here. My baby chicks are 4-5 weeks old, when can I place them in the coop outside? Right now they're in the garage.
Thanks!

 

[dyorto]

Hello everyone, first time chicken raiser here. My baby chicks are 4-5 weeks old, when can I place them in the coop outside? Right now they're in the garage.
Thanks!

Are you still using a heat source?

 

[5Pedschickens]

Yes, still using a heat lamp

 

[JackieandChicks]

Kicked the dinner chicks out to the barn. Almost fully feathered, and wow, they must weigh over 1 lb each already! Stupid, tho...hid in the corner of their pen until I shooshed them to the food dish. Glad the weather broke as there was no more room in the brooder!

 

[dyorto]

Yes, still using a heat lamp

I'd say ween them off the light and they should be good to go. I have 4 week olds that have been raised inside with a heating pad. I'm gonna put them out in the garage for a few days with the pad still and by the end of the week they will go to the coop.

 

[Candy442]

Hello everyone, first time chicken raiser here. My baby chicks are 4-5 weeks old, when can I place them in the coop outside? Right now they're in the garage.
Thanks!

WELCOME

It sounds like they ill they be by themselves in the coop outside?

We have a large outside coop with a divider in it to put our chicks in when they reach 6 weeks old so they can socialize with older chickens but still have a protected area. The chicks never mingle with our older chickens but can see them through the chicken wire. When they are about 16-18 weeks or closer to the older chickens size, we integrate them. They have one of those animal heating pads in their area when they are still young at 6 week during these colder temps.

I would put them in it and if you have a way to put a heat pad in there, they should do just fine. Darn bulb style heat lamps make me worry about a fire, but very safely secured and the smaller wattage would work too.

Come to our Chickenstock function in June Would love to meet you there! Info links below