Central TX Question

[benninggirl]

I am getting a bunch of chick from Ideal in about 2 weeks.

the weather in central TX is pretty warm, even at night. Can they go directly outside into their coop and run?

the run I am building will have chicken wire lined with hardware cloth. They can get under their coop for extra shade and to have a dirt bath

It is also in a shaded area.

So:

1) can they go directly outside?
2) do I need to put a heat lamp in the coop?


Patti

 

[ranchhand]

Being a former Austinite, I am going to advise you to ask Ideal. The gereral rule is 95F the first week and reduce by 5F per week. But I also know it's brutally hot there right now.

You may want to provide heat at night, but make sure they have an area where they can move away if they get too hot. Also, they will not know to get into the coop at night- so if they go under the coop you will have to fish them out.

 

[sbarab]

I'm near Houston and got 32 chicks from Ideal 2 weeks ago. They have been living outdoors in a wire dog kennel w/o any supporting heat just fine. In fact they all have most of their feathers now and are starting to get tail feathers.

 

[txchickie]

I am in NW Texas near amarillo and expecting (more

) Ideal chicks on 9/2. They will go directly out to the coop & run, no supplemental heat during the day (even if it's only upper 80's-lower 90's they have the sunshine), mine have done well thus far without it and a 250w heat lamp at night.

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
I agree. I would keep them in the coop without access to the run right away though.

 

[benninggirl]

How long do you think I should keep them in the coop? before I let them play in the run a little.

patti

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
Is their entrance to the coop easily accessible to them? If so, about a week. Keep them in on unusually cold or nasty weather days.

 

[montyhp]

We are east of San Antonio. I have 3 week olds from Ideal. I started them with a heat lamp at night when the temp got below 85 and a 2liter bottle of frozen water during the day (when the temps are over 100.

They moved outside today and are very happy in their tractor under the trees.

Montyhp

 

[sbarab]

My coop gets way warmer than 95 degrees inside during the day.

 

[Soccer Mom]

I'm in Grandview (smack dab between Fort Worth and Waco) and I don't use supplemental heat when I start birds during this time of year. I only use heat for the first week at night if we have a chilly patch. (Oh don't I WISH!) Everyone gets outside after a week.