Babies outside ok??

[MamaNama]

Good evening from south florida to all ! New chicks are coming with the Full moon. I am a new C-momma. I found your amazing community because my friend told me to buy a bulb to keep them warm, but as a midwife I thought why not Use a heating pad, like we do to keep babies warm when we do newborn exam? Her response made me feel as if I may be putting them in danger. So I found some similar thought patterns here because I’d like to raise these 3 little babies as close to nature as possible but I don’t have experience so hopefully someone can help with this question.. Can I put the newborn chickies outside right away in this little home I made for them with a little cave heating pad ? Or do they need to be inside? It’s the same temperature outside and inside 75 .. sometimes hotter outside.
Gratefully, Nama

 

[kristeninprogress]

So there are some dangers with heating pads, mainly because they will scratch and peck it, but there are heat plates for chicks if you aren't comfortable with bulbs. It mimics a mother hen by allowing chicks to go under it for warmth and venture out.

I don't recommend putting them outside until the outside temperatures meet the chicks' ages. When you first get them, the brooder temp should be 90°. Every week you can lower the temperature by 5° until they are fully feathered around 6-8 weeks. They also need to have a brooder free of drafts.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I disagree with above, mainly because I do use a heating pad (make sure it does NOT have an auto shut off - many models do) and I raise my chicks outside.

75 is already quite warm, much warmer than inside my house! The chicks will do fine outside and probably come off heat a lot sooner than expected. Make sure wherever you're brooding them that it's a spot safe from predators, drafts, and rain.

 

[pozees2]

You'll have a variety of answers, and you'll do best to just keep an eye on your birds and respond to their behavior. I've used heat plates out in a shed, and heat lamps in the house, both worked fine, and right now I use both - I start them in the house, and I don't move chicks out to the shed for about a week. I like to keep them inside so I can keep an eye on them that first week, make sure all are eating, drinking, and thriving (also I keep them inside longer if I hatch earlier in the year and it's in the 20s or lower overnight). You can buy a small heat plate at Premier1 Supplies or Brinsea, and as long as you have power it will work both inside and out. The legs are adjustable so you can make it taller as the chicks grow, and they will stop using it when they no longer need the extra heat, which should be right around 4 weeks of age when they have most of their feathers.
https://www.premier1supplies.com/p/heating-plates-and-covers?cat_id=227https://www.brinsea.com/c-36-chick-brooders.aspx