Can they all go out?

[foxvalleyfarm]

Hey everyone. So I have a quick question. I have 12 5 week olds, 20ish 3 week olds, and 6 1 week olds. I have a coop outside and have moved the heat lamp out there and hung it about 18 inches from the floor. Right now I have 11 of the 5 week olds and 9 of the 3 week olds(meaties) out there full time. I was wondering if it would hurt to move all the rest out. Or should I wait til they hit 4 weeks? My husband wants me to clear their room and clean it before my batches of eggs hatch.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I don’t know what kind of weather you are going to have the next few weeks and I don’t know what that coop looks like. I don’t know the wattage of your heat lamp. There are a lot of things I don’t know about your unique set-up.

My brooder is in the coop from Day 1. As soon as they come out of the incubator they go in that brooder. It has real good draft protection. I keep one end toasty and let the rest cool off. When temperatures are brutal I wrap it to help keep it warm, but in reasonable weather, like overnight lows in the 40’s, it may be open for ventilation on the far end. My goal is to keep one end warm enough and the rest cooler so they can decide what temperature is right for them. I’ve had them go through nights with a low in the single digits Fahrenheit.

If you can keep one area warm enough and drafts off them, it can work out. Then you have the age difference. The older chicks may help keep the young ones warm or they may attack them. There is no way of knowing for sure with living animals.

Even if I were there looking at it, it would be a rough decision for me to make. Coming across the internet I sure don’t know. It might work out just fine, or it may not end well. I really don’t know.

Good luck whatever you decide.

 

[foxvalleyfarm]

I'm gonna finish sealing it from drafts. And they were together from when I got the younger at 2 days til last Sunday when the older got moved out and then I gave 9 meaties the boot yesterday. I think we're almost done with cold here. Its gonna be 75 today and tomorrow.