Brooder Advice

[Ejmaggz]

Hello,

I have 2 Ayam Cemani chickens that are 8 weeks old that are so still in their brooder, in a heated room.

I have 3 hens in a raised coop and attached covered run. We still have snow outside and it’s on average 20-30 degrees during day/night.

When is a good time to introduce them to the rest of the flock?

Should I keep the chicks in the brooder until it reaches a certain temperature outside?

They are getting big but still not as big as my other chickens.

 

[rosemarythyme]

At 8 weeks old they should be off heat already - not sure if they are or aren't. You said the room is heated, how hot is it in the room? To move them out it's best to steadily drop their temperatures to match/come close to outside temperatures. Can you lower the temperature in that room (i.e. closing heating vent, lowering heat overall in house, cracking a window) or move them to a cooler one?

I integrate very early so my chicks would already be part of the flock at 8 weeks, but the temperatures are your current hurdle.

 

[Ejmaggz]

At 8 weeks old they should be off heat already - not sure if they are or aren't. You said the room is heated, how hot is it in the room? To move them out it's best to steadily drop their temperatures to match/come close to outside temperatures. Can you lower the temperature in that room (i.e. closing heating vent, lowering heat overall in house, cracking a window) or move them to a cooler one?

I integrate very early so my chicks would already be part of the flock at 8 weeks, but the temperatures are your current hurdle.

The room has a space heater in it. It’s an unused office in our outbuilding.

I’m not sure how warm the room is. Maybe 65-68 degrees? I can slowly decrease it and eventually shut it off. My only concern is the outside temp being so low. Are they old enough to withstand that cold of temperature at 8 weeks old?

I just don’t want to mess this up and loose my new flock members. I had one die randomly 2 weeks ago, cause of death still unknown.

 

[rosemarythyme]

The room has a space heater in it. It’s an unused office in our outbuilding.

I’m not sure how warm the room is. Maybe 65-68 degrees? I can slowly decrease it and eventually shut it off. My only concern is the outside temp being so low. Are they old enough to withstand that cold of temperature at 8 weeks old?

Yes, by 8 weeks a healthy chick is well feathered and able to take typical winter temperatures. Since you're using a space heater lowering it and then turning it off before they go out should work just fine. Since they're older you can be a little more aggressive about lowering the temperatures, maybe 10 degrees every 3-4 days or so, something like that.