Baby chicks-how late is too late?

[gale65]

We live in North Central Indiana. Zone 5 for the garden people. We are planning to get baby chicks but should we get them now or wait until spring? We'll be keeping them in an old water trough with hardware cloth over the top when they're little, and keeping a heat lamp over it. Not inside the house or barn but in the coop. Is it going to be too cold for them even with a heat lamp?

 

[Mahonri]

With a heat lamp they should be OK... as they get older, maybe two heat lamps. Once they are fully feathered at 6 weeks, they'll be fine.

 

[end9586]

i had chciks through the winter last year but they were from the bator and brood ring but they had trouble adjusting to my other chickens so i prefer a broody hen to raise my babies but if you dont have a broody hen than a heat lam or two like mahonri said will be fine.

 

[Lbrad7]

I think if you can get them this week you should be fine but much later in the year, you will need to bring them inside until they feather up.

Good luck!