Barnevelder/ ameraucana mix

[ShawFarms]

So I got the big idea to hatch some chicks since it's summer and I thought they'd be fine outside. Only to find out I still needed to keep them warm and dry. So I'm keeping them in the house under a lamp. For now.

A friends daughter just had a baby and was looking to give a away a couple chicks which are a mix breed. (Which I mentioned in the title). We have Blue Splash Marans. Our three chicks and the three we took in are getting along good and I don't really want to separate them. The Marans are about a week older then the newbies and trying to fly out of the box. The mix breeds are quite a bit smaller, but the have their wing feathers. It's been close to 100 during the day 70's at night. The chicks are two and three weeks old. When should I put them in the outside coup?

 

[Wyandottes7]

With those temperatures, I think that you could put them out at around four weeks old.

 

[donrae]

I'd put them out now, but then I never, ever brood chicks in the house. I have 3 week old chicks in the brooder now and I only turn the lamp on at night. I have broody-hatched chicks that are only 3 days old. Granted, I wasn't here during the day, but first thing this morning and at dusk tonight they were out from under momma, exploring.

I'd move them to a secure coop. As long as it's predator proof, chick proof, out of the wind and wet, you should be good to go. Give them a lamp at night if you want for another week or so, but during the day they'll be fine.

 

[ShawFarms]

I don't like keeping them in the house that's why I hatched them in the summer. I thought it would be hot enough for them out side. My Marans aren't very good mothers. They can hatch them out, but they can't keep them alive. If they need a light at night outside I will have to get another extension cord. They will have their own coup, but I think a opossum or something is getting under the electric fence. I saw some weird poop inside the fenced area. And I've been finding eggs in weird places and only two eggs a day from seven hens. Do opossums eat eggs? And how in the world is it getting past the electric fence?

We do have an ground hog tearing up the back yard also. Guess it could be digging it's way under the fence. It's cute, I hate to kill it. I don't know if they eat eggs either. We've had chickens for two years now and not had any problems. Now all of a sudden all this.

So the chicks will have their own coup and I will keep it closed up until they get grown. But should I try to get rid of the ground hog? Will it bother the chicks if it diggs it's way into their coup?