Baby Chick Newbie!

[A_net27]

I live in South Texas and I’ve only raised quail before so it’s my first time raising chickens the chicks are 3 weeks old I have 17 of them and as much as a patient person that I am keeping 17 baby chicks with a 6 month old inside is driving me insane! I was thinking of maybe keeping them outside during the day and bringing them back inside at night ANY IDEAS WOULD HELP!! Thank you!

 

[Dusti Tice]

I live in South Texas and I’ve only raised quail before so it’s my first time raising chickens the chicks are 3 weeks old I have 17 of them and as much as a patient person that I am keeping 17 baby chicks with a 6 month old inside is driving me insane! I was thinking of maybe keeping them outside during the day and bringing them back inside at night ANY IDEAS WOULD HELP!! Thank you!

I would build them a coop with a run attached! That way you wouldn’t have the hassle of bringing them in every night and taking them out every morning!!

 

[hysop]

Anywhere from 5 to 8 weeks they won’t need any heat source, but since it’s already summer and there are so many of them I would think even now they don’t need supplemental heat depending on how hot their area gets.

As suggested, a coop and run outside would probably make your life easier. What types of predators do you have?

 

[A_net27]

I would build them a coop with a run attached! That way you wouldn’t have the hassle of bringing them in every night and taking them out every morning!!

I have a spare coop with a run it’s doesn’t get any lower than 80 at night and it’s in the 90s during the day

 

[A_net27]

Anywhere from 5 to 8 weeks they won’t need any heat source, but since it’s already summer and there are so many of them I would think even now they don’t need supplemental heat depending on how hot their area gets.

As suggested, a coop and run outside would probably make your life easier. What types of predators do you have?

I have very well trained dogs that keep anything away so I guess there has never been a problem with any predators

 

[hysop]

I have a spare coop with a run it’s doesn’t get any lower than 80 at night and it’s in the 90s during the day

I have 16 (3 weeks old) guinea keets that I got at a week old and I haven’t used supplemental heat because they keep each other so warm and it’s been toasty every night. They’ll sleep close to each other but not like they’re freezing nor on top of each other.
I don’t know if guinea keets produce more heat or if it’s the summer heat. But whenever I added a lamp they would chrip and be as far away from it.

But if you’ve checked the thermometer in their coop and it stays toasty then they don’t need heat since at three weeks they need 80 degree heat and then at 4 weeks it goes down to 75 and I know my summer nights are rarely dropping past 73 degrees.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I have a spare coop with a run it’s doesn’t get any lower than 80 at night and it’s in the 90s during the day

At three weeks old and with those temperatures they can permanently move outside. I don't know how suitable your facilities are outside but temperatures do not need to hold you back. I've had broody hens wean their chicks at three weeks in similar temperatures and those chicks were fine on their own. No need for supplemental heat.