5th Annual BYC New Year's Day 2014 Hatch-A-Long

[fallenangel79]

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good morning

 

[SunnySkies]

I have a question: I thought about raising some chicks in the winter. I can see from the hatch-along post that many of you have experience in doing that, otherwise you wouldn't be setting eggs at this time of the year. My question is: do you move your chickens outside after they are fully feathered? How do you introduce them to the bitter cold outside? I can't imagine having them cooped inside the house till spring comes. So, how do you do it?

Garage for a bit with an EcoGlow then out to the coops when feathered in and not sleeping under the EcoGlow any longer. I do not heat my coops. Have a couple pretty good bantam roosters that are willing to look after babies. Haven't lost a single chick to cold. Last winter, though, I had a group of chicks hatch but had run out of coop room. That bunch lived in the garage all winter. Not doing that again...I like parking my truck inside...

It does get really cold here. Below zero for a few days at a time, 20-something this am. I have four chicks hatched out in like October out there now doing just fine.

 

[poodlechicks]

Thank you, SunnySkies. I was afraid to get chicks only to watch them freeze to death outside.I'll try raising some next winter, since I too have to big a bigger coop to accommodate new chicks. I like to plan ahead. Sometimes, way ahead

!

And I thought I would stop at my 5 BOs...

 

[Henry wwf]

im on

 

[ronott1]

im on

Your are in!

What are you hatching?

 

[Kalalyn21]

This will be my first time raising chicks in the winter. We get about -20 to -30 at times and it usually last a few days. For the most part is stays 15 to 40 for majority of the winter. I plan to raise them in the house til they are feathered then move them out to our shop for a while. I have an empty coop that isnt insulated or has lights. With those type of temps I am afraid they will freeze to death. My bigger coop is insulated and has lights if need be, but i try not to use them. Keeping my fingers crossed my plan works

 

[Aphrael]

Not chick or duck related, but I am like this right now about my Golden R. Bred her to a Standard size Poodle..Goldendoodles on the way! She is due anytime. I have her marked for the 30th, but she is showing signs of having them. I know, she could still be a few days, can't wait!

I bet those will be some cute puppies.

I have one duck internally pipped and the other two seem to be working hard at it. I'm not actually sure if they are due today or not till tomorrow because I don't know if you are supposed to count the set day when calculating it.

 

[Avlana]

This will be my first time raising chicks in the winter. We get about -20 to -30 at times and it usually last a few days. For the most part is stays 15 to 40 for majority of the winter. I plan to raise them in the house til they are feathered then move them out to our shop for a while. I have an empty coop that isnt insulated or has lights. With those type of temps I am afraid they will freeze to death. My bigger coop is insulated and has lights if need be, but i try not to use them. Keeping my fingers crossed my plan works

My first time raising chicks in the winter too.

 

[Cynthia12]

Man, you must have a looot of chickens! Start picking mine up around the 6 th..fresh fertile eggs..lol..sounds like you have enough to do that...get me some real pretty olive eggs if ya can..

Picky me..I'll take what you have, lots of blues, and green though. But, I will take what you get .... but, again, I would really like some olive green ones, and some blue ones, but, really, what ever they are laying at the time..that's how it works anyway..but, I really would like some blues and some greens..and...LOL...just messin with ya. I'm sure they will be great what ever you send.

 

[Avlana]

I have one duck internally pipped and the other two seem to be working hard at it. I'm not actually sure if they are due today or not till tomorrow because I don't know if you are supposed to count the set day when calculating it.

I usually count the day after setting as day 1. Since I don't usually set till later in the day. Good luck with the duckies

What kind of ducks are you hatching? I may have missed that somewhere...