3 weeks old today, moving out to coop wednesday with brooder?

[ColoradoChicken89]

Your posted temperature ranges should be fine as long as the temperatures inside the coop match that. For the run, make sure there's some spots with deep shade where they can hang out if it gets hotter.

I'd personally would just leave the brooder plate on inside the coop for another week (rather than turning on and off... lazy that way) but they very likely won't use it much, if at all. But doesn't hurt to give them the option.

Ok perfect! Yeah I'm kinda hoping to just turn it on and night and turn it off during the day. Nights are generally cooler (50s-60s) without the sun warmth, but the sun should help them warm themselves during the day I figured. I also don't mind the idea of just keeping it in when they have access to outside.

 

[ColoradoChicken89]

Yay, got everything finished and then out!!! They seem to love the extra space and being able to actually stretch out enough to practice flying off the short part of the coop roof.


[pic taken before the hardware cloth was finished, and still have to clean up the white trim and place in some outdoor roosts]

I did decide I would rather have their brooder plate just on for the first week, inside the coop. It's supposed to be cool and rainy most the rest of the week anyways. The tarp over and the shady side with the coop creates a side that doesn't get sun at all during the day, so its easily what I could considered "deep shade", and def 5-10 degrees cooler than outside the run.

I do have a tiny fan mounted on the top of the coop, just in case it does get up to the 80s-90s eve. It is in the upper back pointed towards the front vent/door (angled to kinda hit both), figured that should help puth some of the warmer air down and out. Though I plan on keeping that off unless I need it in the afternoon.

This next weekend I plan on getting some 14 guage wire and kinda "sew" the layers together tigheter on all the edges to make it more secure (one is chicken wire and the other is harware cloth and then the overlap where i had to create seams). I did this on the hardware cloth buried under the sand (so something can't dig under) with 16 guage, and it worked really nice; though I think I might want something a little sturdier for the outside.

 

[hsk1977]

I would move them out ASAP. If the night temps will be below 65, plug in the plate. Otherwise, I wouldn't bother. I would have a floor fan available to blow across them during the day if it gets hot in there. Have all ventilation open. You don't want them overheating. Make sure they have plenty of cool, clean water at all times.

I was wondering about putting a fan out with our 2 week old chicks. It is soooo hot here in north Mississippi right now and they have been sitting with their wings out.

 

[DobieLover]

I was wondering about putting a fan out with our 2 week old chicks. It is soooo hot here in north Mississippi right now and they have been sitting with their wings out.

They need dense shade, damp ground and as much ventilation as possible.
During our near 100° heat wave, I was feeding frozen treats like blueberries, peas and watermelon chunks throughout the day. It is also very advantageous to offer a second water source with electrolytes in it. And always make sure there is lots of fresh clean cool water available. You can put ice cubes in the water.
I also would grab any hen that I could get my hands on that was panting and dunk her in a tote with cool, not cold, water in it and slosh my fingers through her belly feathers to make sure it was getting to her skin. Then I just put her back on the ground and left her soaking wet. All of the hens that had this treatment would stop panting right away and looked much more comfortable. I don't think that would be a good idea with a two week old chick though.

 

[hsk1977]

They need dense shade, damp ground and as much ventilation as possible.
During our near 100° heat wave, I was feeding frozen treats like blueberries, peas and watermelon chunks throughout the day. It is also very advantageous to offer a second water source with electrolytes in it. And always make sure there is lots of fresh clean cool water available. You can put ice cubes in the water.
I also would grab any hen that I could get my hands on that was panting and dunk her in a tote with cool, not cold, water in it and slosh my fingers through her belly feathers to make sure it was getting to her skin. Then I just put her back on the ground and left her soaking wet. All of the hens that had this treatment would stop panting right away and looked much more comfortable. I don't think that would be a good idea with a two week old chick though.

Thanks! I am planning to open the windows for some ventilation in the shop during the day now that they are in something more secure than a plastic tote. I am still adding electrolytes to their water every day.

Great tips for the big girls! My hens seem to be handling the heat ok. Their coop and run have plenty of shade. I do think I’ll put some ice in their water today though. I should have done that already.