Are fall chicks a bad idea in Zone 5?

[thecatumbrella]

They'd be hatching next week. Large fowl breeds like Orpingtons, Sussex, Australorps, etc. I brood in my basement, which doesn't get below 50 degrees. My run will be weather and wind protected for winter. No heat in the coop, and the coop will likely be inside the run.

At 6 weeks-old, the average temps for my area will be 50F high, 30F low. At 8 weeks, 44/26. Of course, the weather never actually reflects the average and will be all over the place.

Also, I read something about fall chicks needing extra light to prevent early-onset laying (and reproductive issues). Something about the days getting longer as they approach point-of-lay. Anyone know anything about this?

Feel free to talk me into or out of this idea.

 

[ella2025]

They'd be hatching next week. Large fowl breeds like Orpingtons, Sussex, Australorps, etc. I brood in my basement, which doesn't get below 50 degrees. My run will be weather and wind protected for winter. No heat in the coop, and the coop will likely be inside the run.

At 6 weeks-old, the average temps for my area will be 50F high, 30F low. At 8 weeks, 44/26. Of course, the weather never actually reflects the average and will be all over the place.

Also, I read something about fall chicks needing extra light to prevent early-onset laying (and reproductive issues). Something about the days getting longer as they approach point-of-lay. Anyone know anything about this?

Feel free to talk me into or out of this idea.

I think you'll be fine as long as you give additional heat available to them until they are about 5 weeks old, and keep them inside or in a dry coop until 8 weeks old.

 

[DonyaQuick]

I'm in 5B. A couple years back I let an unbreakable late season broody hatch eggs and got two September chicks. Those chicks ended up being house chickens for most of the winter due to them not being able to handle the indoor/outdoor temperature discrepancies and not being able to integrate easily enough with my adult birds - which meant they would've had difficulty tucking in to stay warm with everyone at night, etc. Both of those chickens are now two of my most cold hardy birds, but that first winter was a rough time. Not saying you shouldn't do it, but be prepared for it to be a slower and tougher process than earlier-in-the-year hatches, particularly if they are integrating with adults into an existing setup. Probably my biggest issue with those two chicks is that there were only two of them; with more they can huddle better, which makes them more resilient at night before they're old enough to sleep with the older birds. So if you are getting something like 6+ chicks it will be a lot easier than what I was up against. However, integrating with an existing flock can still be tough in the cold since the new chicks might not get to sit or sleep in the most protected spots and may get chased off into colder/draftier areas depending on the setup.

 

[thecatumbrella]

I'm in 5B. A couple years back I let an unbreakable late season broody hatch eggs and got two September chicks. Those chicks ended up being house chickens for most of the winter due to them not being able to handle the indoor/outdoor temperature discrepancies and not being able to integrate easily enough with my adult birds - which meant they would've had difficulty tucking in to stay warm with everyone at night, etc. Both of those chickens are now two of my most cold hardy birds, but that first winter was a rough time. Not saying you shouldn't do it, but be prepared for it to be a slower and tougher process than earlier-in-the-year hatches, particularly if they are integrating with adults into an existing setup. Probably my biggest issue with those two chicks is that there were only two of them; with more they can huddle better, which makes them more resilient at night before they're old enough to sleep with the older birds. So if you are getting something like 6+ chicks it will be a lot easier than what I was up against. However, integrating with an existing flock can still be tough in the cold since the new chicks might not get to sit or sleep in the most protected spots and may get chased off into colder/draftier areas depending on the setup.

Yes, good point that I forgot to mention. We would not be integrating and have six for body warmth at night.

Thank you for sharing your experience, it helps!

 

[ChickyCh00k]

I say go for it! I'm in MI (so we probably have similar climates) and got my first chicks mid Sept. a few years ago (4 buff orps and 4 barred rocks). I had them inside for 5.5 weeks and did get lucky with an October warmup when I moved them to the coop (I also had a Sweeter Heater hanging above the roost to make myself feel better), but they did great! Made sure the run was winter proof and had zero problems. By the time it got cold, cold, they were plenty big and feathered enough to handle it.

If you are going to do it, the best advice I can give is to get them outside every single time it is sunny/warmish. They will let you know if they're too cold (huddling together, loud cheeping). I got chicks at the end of August last year, and brooded them outside, in my coop, from day one (with a Sweeter Heater and brooder plate). Totally fine.

 

[ChickyCh00k]

Also, I read something about fall chicks needing extra light to prevent early-onset laying (and reproductive issues). Something about the days getting longer as they approach point-of-lay. Anyone know anything about this?

I would not worry about this (Did you see it on The Featherbrain website?). I had the same question when I got my September chicks and spent an inordinate amount of time trying to figure out the correct lighting, only to discover it really isn't an issue. By the time the days are getting long enough to make a difference, the pullets should be coming into lay regardless. Mine hatched mid Sept, and I had my first egg late January (about 5 weeks after winter solstice). They all started laying at the appropriate time and had no reproductive issues.

Edit to add: While they were inside, I had lights on for 12 hours and off for 12.

 

[Collieoftheborder]

I'm in Zone 6 (NE Kansas) and I am getting 25 Austrolorps and 10 New Hampshires on October 14th. Planning to keep them in the garage for a couple of weeks before taking them out to the shed. I don't have any chickens right now so I don't have any integrating to do.

I am so nervous lol but I think it'll be fine. I found a lady on Youtube that does it and she lives in a colder climate than I do. Her name is The Garden Nextdoor if you want to look her up.

I've not heard about the potential for egg laying or reproductive issues due to light changes. Where did you see that? I'd love to look into it.

 

[thecatumbrella]

(Did you see it on The Featherbrain website?). I had the same question when I got my September chicks and spent an inordinate amount of time trying to figure out the correct lighting, only to discover it really isn't an issue.

I've not heard about the potential for egg laying or reproductive issues due to light changes. Where did you see that? I'd love to look into it.

Yes, it was Featherbrain. I certainly don't agree with all her views, but I do appreciate that she tries to source her findings and does have her chickens' welfare at heart. I'll have to read about it more myself.

Also, thank you both for weighing in!

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Feel free to talk me into or out of this idea.

My personal biggest issue/experience is that birds which have hatched this late/early will enter molt the following fall.. so I only get one laying season (maybe 8 months) out of them before molt as opposed to about 15 months of lay before their first major molt if I get/hatch February chicks.

Though I'm technically in zone 9b, I go for natural lighting and am near the Cal/Or border. Today is the day we are at 12/12 light/dark.

I've never personally experienced any health issues related to date.

Best wishes on your adventures!

 

[ChickyCh00k]

Yes, it was Featherbrain.

I like her. She's where I got the idea to brood in a tent with my first batch (which was a really good experience), and where I got SUPER confused about lighting for fall chicks. In fact, my comment is posted on her website at the bottom of that article - it's a big, long question about her lighting recommendation and how the heck it's supposed to work. In her answer, she really didn't know either, she was going by what Gail Damerow's book says on the subject (which is also super confusing). I ended up asking Michigan State University Poultry Extension and they said to keep out-of-season chicks/pullets at 10 on/14 off until POL (after week 16) and then increase by 30 min each week until you reach 14-16 hours of light, but I think that's assuming they will be on artificial lights the whole time (like for egg factories, because that's the only thing we can get any real research on). Anyway, I think The Featherbrain is a great resource, and I like that she attempts to follow the science (it's just that sometimes the science isn't applicable for "Backyarders" ).