Another Chick to Coop Question

[ourltlflock]

My chicks are 6 wks old now. Our overnight temps are in the 50's, is it too cold yet to put them outside? There is really no way to put a heat lamp in the little coop we have. (We bought the coop at Cal-Ranch)

Also, I saw it mentioned the nesting boxes should be blocked off. Does it really make that much of a difference?

Any help would be most awesome!

 

[chickencrazy9]

I have the same questions/problems!

 

[jetdog]

Block the boxes off or they will sleep in it and poop in it,the roost should be higher than the boxes, when the time comes put a golf ball in each box and they will catch on where to lay, I kept mine inside until they were 8 weeks and I still put the heat lamp out there for another week, it just made me feel better knowing they weren't going to freeze.

 

[CrazyChickGirl]

We did block our nesting boxes off for the time being. Six weeks should be fine... Are they used to cooler weather though? Are they off the lamp yet? Just make sure you transition them.

 

[ourltlflock]

I have been putting them out every evening when I get home from work. I bring them in right at dark, they don't seem to be cold even though I am chilly. They haven's been out all night yet.

I still have the lamp on in the brooder box, it's probably 75 degrees directly under it. I do find them in the middle of the night sleeping under it.

Is there some sort of heating unit that I could use in a small coop? Hanging a heat lamp in there just won't work.

 

[CrazyChickGirl]

I don't know where your brooder is (inside? Outside?) but I would start with letting them spend more time outside and turning the heat lamp off during the day. They should be surprisingly hardy by now.

 

[CrazyChickGirl]

And if it helps reassure you, ours went out at 5 weeks to 45 degree nights. No heat in the coop. They did great. I had them spending a lot of time outside beforehand so their bodies were used to very cool mornings and evenings.

 

[ourltlflock]

The brooder is in the house. I didn't even think about turning the heat lamp off during the day, duh! lol

I'm thinking they should be ok going out next weekend. Lows will be in the 50's. Hopefully I can get them to go up the ramp..

 

[SusanPC]

My chicks are just over 5 weeks (I moved them into the coop 5 nights ago) and have had the heat lamp each night. Last night I left the heatlamp off until 4 am this morning when it went down to 59 degrees. (of course, I'm monitoring the temp. from the house with a digital thermometer - it's taken all my discipline to not put a baby monitor out there!) I had turned the heatlamp off in the house totally (night and day) for about 2 or 3 days before I transitioned them into the coop. The birds are doing fine - I think the heat lamp is more for my piece of mind. We're supposed to have a couple of nights in the 60s and then drop into the 40s for a few nights, and my plan is to try and not use any heat lamp at all, anymore, forever. I might actually go and remove the heat lamp and extension cord from the coop to keep myself from caving in. I swear that experienced chicken owners must be getting a kick out of all us newbies because we are so nervous about letting our babies stay outside without their lamp. I guess I have actually become a mother hen.

 

[Farmer Viola]

transitioning planning sounds great!
I will sometimes also shut the door to the chicken room where the brooder is inside my house, and open a window to lower temp during the transitional time.