9 week old pullets with 4 week old chicks

[NatJ]

They do still have a heat lamp, it’s now raised pretty high and Saturday will ge turn off day. It’s in our garage so I’m not sure if temp in there. Our days have been unseasonably warm in the 70s right now, nights in mid 40s

I suggest you try putting a thermometer in various places and see what temperatures you're really working with. The chicks won't care if they are inside or out, if the temperature is the same or if it's a few degrees cooler.

I also suggest that you turn the heat lamp off in the daytime, starting right now. (The chicks may peep unhappily because it's different. If they settle down in half an hour, they're fine. If they are still peeping after half an hour, they may actually be needing the heat.)

You can plug it back in at night if you think they need it for the rest of the week.

Also, you can take the chicks outside for the daytime and bring them back in at night--that lets them get used to some of the outdoor temperatures.

The garage will have more stable temperature than outside, so letting the chicks sleep there for at least a few nights with no heat lamp is probably helpful before having them sleep outside permanently.

I think you will probably be able to move them all outside within a few weeks, even with the shelter being the doorless doghouse you mentioned, and then work on integrating all four young ones together into the big flock.

 

[GambaDawn]

I suggest you try putting a thermometer in various places and see what temperatures you're really working with. The chicks won't care if they are inside or out, if the temperature is the same or if it's a few degrees cooler.

I also suggest that you turn the heat lamp off in the daytime, starting right now. (The chicks may peep unhappily because it's different. If they settle down in half an hour, they're fine. If they are still peeping after half an hour, they may actually be needing the heat.)

You can plug it back in at night if you think they need it for the rest of the week.

Also, you can take the chicks outside for the daytime and bring them back in at night--that lets them get used to some of the outdoor temperatures.

The garage will have more stable temperature than outside, so letting the chicks sleep there for at least a few nights with no heat lamp is probably helpful before having them sleep outside permanently.

I think you will probably be able to move them all outside within a few weeks, even with the shelter being the doorless doghouse you mentioned, and then work on integrating all four young ones together into the big flock.

Thanks so much! I have been unplugging during the day and they are fine, and even if I don’t close the garage door before dark, and it’s a little cooler, they are up on the roost with the older ones and snuggled in just fine. I have put the pullets out during the day but not the 4 week olds yet, so I can do that now? Just for the day? I figured another 2 weeks at nigh5 in the garage brooder probably, right? TIA!

 

[NatJ]

Thanks so much! I have been unplugging during the day and they are fine, and even if I don’t close the garage door before dark, and it’s a little cooler, they are up on the roost with the older ones and snuggled in just fine. I have put the pullets out during the day but not the 4 week olds yet, so I can do that now? Just for the day? I figured another 2 weeks at nigh5 in the garage brooder probably, right? TIA!

If they seem comfortable at night before you turn on the heatlamp, then you could try leaving it unplugged for one night. Check on them just before you go to bed, and first thing in the morning--if they are not peeping unhappily, then they are fine, and you can continue to leave it off.

For outside during the day: try it and watch what happens. 4 week olds will probably be fine outside all day. I would say, when they've had a week of outside days and of no-heat at night in the garage, they can probably go outside full time.

There is no magic age for when they can go out. It's really just based on when they have enough feathers for the conditions they will be living in.

Baby chicks being raised by a mother hen are usually "outside" from the time they hatch.

Baby chicks can be raised "outside" (in a coop or pen) with a heat lamp or other heat source.

And in some climates, at some seasons, baby chicks can be raised outside with no heat source at all (when "outside" happens to be the right temperature for brooding baby chicks.)

 

[GambaDawn]

If they seem comfortable at night before you turn on the heatlamp, then you could try leaving it unplugged for one night. Check on them just before you go to bed, and first thing in the morning--if they are not peeping unhappily, then they are fine, and you can continue to leave it off.

For outside during the day: try it and watch what happens. 4 week olds will probably be fine outside all day. I would say, when they've had a week of outside days and of no-heat at night in the garage, they can probably go outside full time.

There is no magic age for when they can go out. It's really just based on when they have enough feathers for the conditions they will be living in.

Baby chicks being raised by a mother hen are usually "outside" from the time they hatch.

Baby chicks can be raised "outside" (in a coop or pen) with a heat lamp or other heat source.

And in some climates, at some seasons, baby chicks can be raised outside with no heat source at all (when "outside" happens to be the right temperature for brooding baby chicks.)

Thank you so much for taking the time to answer so thoroughly. I did Leave the lamp off starting two nights ago, each night they were already on the roost with the older ones, and sound asleep, so I figured they were fine. The reassurance and knowledge helps so much. I’ll start putting them out during the day when this heatwave is over, we were 97 yesterday. It was toooo hot! Usually our temps are cool with the marine layer and such, but it’s been unseasonably warm this year. Also, one of them still has quite a bit of down so nights outside worry me for her. Another week of inside at night may make a big difference.
thanks again for your help, I am truly enjoying my chickens! Who knew they were so addicting!