8 weeks old and outgrowing my kitchen!

[montana girl]

I live in North West Montana and am wondering what to do.

My chicks are nearly 8 weeks old, fully feathered...but I am so worried about putting them out in their coop! The days are forecast to be in today 51/36 then 39/31 on friday, and then 56/35, 66/41, 65/41, 54/39, 47/31, 55/34, 60/38 etc.

Am I safe putting them out with a heat lamp? Am I being over protective?

Their big coop isnt done yet, they will be in a small A-Frame, with soil as the floor. It sits inside thier run.

Thanks so much for any imput.

 

[johnmayersquare]

I think they will be fine outside with a lamp! I have my 5 week olds outside in a shed with doors(until my coop is done) with a lamp. They have been fine! Just my opinion though

I know what you mean about the takeover by the chicks

 

[Moonwalker]

I put my chicks out when they were about 4 weeks old and the temps were going down into the 30's at nite, in fact it went down to about 25 a couple of nites). I had a heat lamp with a 3 sided draft sheild to help contain the heat and they have done just fine. I did have a plastic pan (the kind you put under rabbit cages) with a couple inches of sawdust to help insulate from chill off the ground. I used the pan to keep the shavings from spreading and also to keep them from getting damp.

 

[MissPrissy]

If you put them out they need deep bedding to protect from the coldness of the ground and a heat lamp. As long as the A-frame is draft free and can maintain heat with the lamp they will be fine with food and water. Becareful with the heat lamp and make sure it is secure because fires can start very easily.

I am always nervous when I put my chicks out. I have my two week olds in an outside brooder that is closed in with a wire top. I know they are safe and warm but still I worry and nervously check on them through the night.

 

[montana girl]

Thanks so much for your replies.

This is my first time with chicks. I purchased my other three when they were 4 months old.

I think I will put them out tomorow during the day, after first seeing how warm I can make the a frame with the heat lamp.

Thanks so much again for your reassurance.

Darlene

 

[ChelC]

Well I live in Utah, which has only slightly warmer temps, and I have my 2 1/2 week olds out in the coop with a couple heat lamps. They stay plenty warm in there - thank goodness, because they were getting to be a lot of maintenance in order to keep the smell of nineteen pooping things down. When it's sunny I'll let them out, but so far they're too "chicken" to stray far from the door. They don't huddle much in there and are happily flying around and enjoying the room.

 

[raindrop]

Mine will be 3 1/2 weeks old when I kick them out of the house this weekend. They will spend a couple days in the coop with the heat lamp, then I will let them out into the yard as long as it isn't too rainy.

 

[jadell]

I've had mine outside in the coop I built since I got 'em. I just moved the lamp closer on the really cold nights, and farther away on the hot days. They are in a little brooder I built inside the shed, which I assume is similar to the A frame you're talking about. Long story short. . .I think they will be fine too.

 

[Frosty]

Mine were hatched 2/27/08, and I have them out without a lamp. For their last week or so in the house they had a 100w lamp about 3' above them but they spent most of their time away from the lamp. Today the high was 34F, yesterday was 49F, then it cooled off and we got rain and snow. The other day it dropped to 17F. The girls handled it just fine... I just need to watch to make sure that they have water instead of ice.

Waving hi from North Dakota!

 

[SueNH]

This is why I wait until now to hatch chicks or buy chicks. Earlier than that and I'm stuck with the birds in the house.

Still have snow and ice melting out there in shady areas. Temps are ranging from the upper 20's to the mid 80's. Hard for anything to get used to the weather when it does that.

They will be fine with a lamp. Finish the coop. Secure the lamp so nothing touches it and it can't be knocked down.

I had a brain cramp once and couldn't resist hatching the last of my turkey eggs in late October once. By the time I got a building rigged that I could heat they poults were the size of a standard hen. Had several heights of perches so the poults could move closer or further away from the lamp. Didn't take them long to acclimate. Not even a month before they didn't need the heat.