Bedding and heat for integration

[doublecrossranch]

I will be moving 4 and 5 week old chicks into the coop in a week. The bedding in the coop currently is big pine chips and sweet pdz. I worried about the chicks eating the pdz. Should I be worried? They will have a integration/separation area for them to escape to if need be. As of right now its not supposed to drop before 40 degrees for a few more weeks. Should I add a heat plate or mama cave if it does drop below 40 or don't worry about it as long as they are fully feathered? I still have a week or so to make sure its perfect for them.

 

[AllenK RGV]

I personally wouldn't mess with the heat and electricity, you can always offer a huddle box for warmth. They should feather out faster that way for ya. Regarding your bedding choice I use neither just hay here for me so can't offer advice.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I do not know anything abut PDZ. I do not use it.

I have had chicks 5-1/2 weeks old go through nights in the mid 20's Fahrenheit with no heat. You do not need to add any heat for yours. It is not needed. All you are doing is incorporating a fire risk if you add heat of any kind. That is heating pad, heat plates, heat lamps, or anything else. The electric cable if not the device itself.

 

[doublecrossranch]

I do not know anything abut PDZ. I do not use it.

I have had chicks 5-1/2 weeks old go through nights in the mid 20's Fahrenheit with no heat. You do not need to add any heat for yours. It is not needed. All you are doing is incorporating a fire risk if you add heat of any kind. That is heating pad, heat plates, heat lamps, or anything else. The electric cable if not the device itself.

I personally wouldn't mess with the heat and electricity, you can always offer a huddle box for warmth. They should feather out faster that way for ya. Regarding your bedding choice I use neither just hay here for me so can't offer advice.

Both are helpful! I was also going to make a wool hen just in case.

 

[AllenK RGV]

Both are helpful! I was also going to make a wool hen just in case.

Seems a bit overdone to me, they are already accustomed to one another. They really aren't that fragile.

 

[doublecrossranch]

Seems a bit overdone to me, they are already accustomed to one another. They really aren't that fragile.

They haven’t been around PDZ before. Right now they are in a play yard in the run weather permitting and brooder with a heat plate at night with small pine shavings.

 

[doublecrossranch]

I guess I’m just nervous about integrating the chicks with the older (6 month old pullets and cockerel), the crazy 98 one day 47 the next night weather, the snakes coming out, and recent fox sighting.

 

[aart]

Are they off the heat now?
Have they spent any time outside?
Are they inside an air conditioned house?
I open windows in brooder room to acclimate to outside temps.

Don't worry about the PDZ, have used it as brooder bedding.
No deaths or impacted crops.

The wool hen is overkill IMO..and could create an entanglement scenario...
...but this has worked well for me:

Make them a 'huddle box', put it in the brooder after turning off the heat(you might have to 'persuade' them to use it) then move it out to the coop with them.

Cardboard box with a bottom a little bigger than what they need to cuddle next to each other without piling and tall enough for them to stand in.

Cut an opening on one side a couple inches from bottom and big enough for 2-3 of them to go thru at once.

Fill the bottom with some pine shavings an inch or so deep.

This will give them a cozy place to sleep/rest, block any drafts and help hold their body heat in.

 

[doublecrossranch]

Are they off the heat now?
Have they spent any time outside?
Are they inside an air conditioned house?
I open windows in brooder room to acclimate to outside temps.

Don't worry about the PDZ, have used it as brooder bedding.
No deaths or impacted crops.

The wool hen is overkill IMO..and could create an entanglement scenario...
...but this has worked well for me:

Make them a 'huddle box', put it in the brooder after turning off the heat(you might have to 'persuade' them to use it) then move it out to the coop with them.

Cardboard box with a bottom a little bigger than what they need to cuddle next to each other without piling and tall enough for them to stand in.

Cut an opening on one side a couple inches from bottom and big enough for 2-3 of them to go thru at once.

Fill the bottom with some pine shavings an inch or so deep.

This will give them a cozy place to sleep/rest, block any drafts and help hold their body heat in.

They still have the heat plate at night but no other heat source (other than the heat index). They spend all day outside weather permitting. It’s been down pouring all day every few days. Those days they stay inside. No A/C. Just an old commissary brick building.
I get my grove cleaning order tomorrow. That box should be perfect for a huddle box!
Thank you

 

[doublecrossranch]

big enough for 2-3 of them to go thru at once.

All I can picture is lining them up to see if they would fit. Very cartoonishly. LOL. I’m a very visual person. Haha.