4 week old chicks have been evicted from inside to outside grow out brooder/coop

[Twoleggedmotherhen]

Had to evict the 4 week old chicks to the outside brooder/coop. Last Friday, my allergies started acting up. My allergy to the pine shavings got real bad. Hubby got what I needed, took until today to be able to do anything. Still haven't been able to eat, 1 piece of dry wheat toast is all I have been able to get to stay down since last Saturday. That should get better since I am feeling like it is starting to improve. We got the inside brooder put away, pine shavings out of here. Floor scrubbed. Really started breathing much easier after that was done and the place was aired out all day. Even though tree pollen is high, was way better than what the pine shavings was doing to me.
Got the chicks setup in their new outside home. Even though inside they didn't use the MHP, it was put in the brooder/coop on high. Plus two 5 gallon buckets of shavings, so should be able to stay warm. Night temp low 40. They did good going up and down the drop down door. Ate and drank chest bumping, etc. Went inside when they needed to or got scared by the older hens. Even though the older hens can't touch them.

Lesson Learned...listen to those with the experience. As long as I used the potty pads things were fine. Once it was just the shavings, medical heck broke loose. Raising chicks will be later in the spring for me.

 

[blackdog043]

Raising chicks will be later in the spring for me.

Or you could raise them in the coop brooder from day one, even in your colder climate.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Lesson Learned...listen to those with the experience. As long as I used the potty pads things were fine. Once it was just the shavings, medical heck broke loose. Raising chicks will be later in the spring for me.

Or you could raise them in the coop brooder from day one, even in your colder climate.

X2....these babies hatched early February (ignore upload date of march)went straight to the food from the post office.....overnight lows well below freezing, it was mid 20s when this was taken

By four weeks they are off heat, fully integrated with adult flock and going in/out at will

 

[Naser]

You should be able to get electric wire outside and raise chicks under a heating plate from day one.

 

[alisajw82]

Thanks for posting I was feeling so bad for putting out my 4-5 week old chicks who have wing feathers already to their outside open air coop. It's been around 60 degrees-ish at night so I put out their 250 heat lamp with them and turn it on at night. They have straw bedding to keep them warm. We live in the desert so it gets upward 85 degrees during the day right now. They did so well their first night and seem happy to have the extra room to run around.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Thanks for posting I was feeling so bad for putting out my 4-5 week old chicks who have wing feathers already to their outside open air coop. It's been around 60 degrees-ish at night so I put out their 250 heat lamp with them

Your chicks don't need heat at that age, 60 degrees is plenty warm for them.

 

[9876]

X2....these babies hatched early February (ignore upload date of march)went straight to the food from the post office.....overnight lows well below freezing, it was mid 20s when this was taken

By four weeks they are off heat, fully integrated with adult flock and going in/out at will

Did you use supplemental heating?

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Did you use supplemental heating?

That would be the object they are crawling in-and-out from under… I use a "mama heat pad" approach to heating my chicks.

 

[9876]

That would be the object they are crawling in-and-out from under… I use a "mama heat pad" approach to heating my chicks.

I like that idea!

 

[PolergirlOH]

Mine were outside with a heat plate from day three. Per a reliable thermometer, the in-coop temp was *six* degrees F one morning. Chicks thrived and are now in tiny dino phase and are healthy and attempting to eat me out of house and home.

Glad you got your allergies and medical issues sorted!! That sounds awful.