Chicks going outside

[PoultryGirly]

haha...have to try it

 

[JumpinOmega]

Hello everyone. Thank you for reading and hopefully posting a speedy reply to my question....
I have 2 silkies that were hatched around the week of 2/12/12 1 Barren Rock, 1 delaware and 1 Orpington that were hatched the week of 2/5/12
So my lil brats have been in the house during the night this whole time and out during the day for the past 6 weeks.. Aprox. So today I decided that I just could not handle the smell of the chickens in the house any longer. So I took a large rectangular rubber maid tub and turned it upside down. My husband cut a round hole in the back of the tub for the 100 watt heat lamp to sit close to.(the heat lamp is outside of the tub). My husband then cut an oval shape for the door ( aprox. 12 heigh x 8 wide). The chickens lay on the dirt with wood shavings under them... Maybe 1/2 in thick of shavings. The tub that they have access to that I described above is located under their incomplete coop. The coop has the floor built so the is a roof over the run that they are in and 2 sides of the run are protected by the house and porch.
The temps at night here in southern California have been around the Low 50s there are 2 nights coming up that will be in the mid to high 40s.
Question is... Will my lil brats be ok outside at night. We get pretty windy here and it has been raining. If the chickens stay in the tub they will not get wind on them or rain. However, if they come out of the tub there is a good chance that they will have rain and wind on them... Biting my nails in hopefully anticipation that I get a speedy reply.
Thx again for reading this long winded question for my lil brats.

 

[Gofygure]

My only concern would be the heat lamp...I've had a lamp melt the plastic of a bin at over six inches distance. And make sure they have predator protection, as an animal could flip over a bin quite easily. Otherwise they should be perfectly fine. My birds are moving outdoors and they are two weeks younger than yours.

 

[doubledfarms]

I'm not a pro at this but I will tell you what I have done. My chicks have been outside since I got them. Most of our nights have been in the 60's but I still keep the lamp on for them. They are in a old rabbit cage that is cover on the top and two sides. Last night it did get into the 30's so I took a tarp and wrapped it around the cage and secured it with a staple gun. When I went out this morning they weren't even under the light so I think they should be fine! But as I said these are my first set of chickens so what do I know!

 

[cashdl]

I hatch lots and lots of chicks every week in my dining room ( last week 76) and after 1 week the little darlings go outside in plastic brooder tubs with a wire lid a heat lamp sits on that has a regular 65 wt bulb in it. During especially cold nights, because I hatch all year, I cover half of the exposed areas of the wire with a hand towel.

After about two weeks I move them to an enclosed wooded box brooder that is roughly 4X4 with 1 or two heat lamps depending on how many babies are in there at a time. Same light bulbs as above. I never use brooder bulbs as they are two hot.

After about two more weeks the chicks go into a 6X8 shed with wooden walls and a hardware cloth wire door. I leave 3 heat lamps with regular bulbs hanging in various areas out of drafts incase the babies feel the need to sit under one. I also have a roost in the shed. When the babies start roosting, I move them to a big bird pen with other babies and no lights to continue growing untill they are sold or go into the breeding pens.

This system works great for me and I don't have to worry about babies getting too cold.

Lanae

 

[Dukeofhawg]

Put them outside at night I live on the Oregon Coast, My birds were born the same week as yours, they have been out for a week, in temps of 38--44 at night. They do much better outside. I use no lamp or light. They are thriving.

 

[JumpinOmega]

Thank you for all the feed back. My birds are alive and chirpy today. the tub that I use for their shelter is under the unfinished coop that has chicken wire around the underside of it. So the chickens are in a fenced in area that's a 6 x 5 ft area... Just waiting for some $ to role in so that we can finish the coop and the run for my chickabees.

Maybe if I can find some extra time I can take pics and post them.
Thx again and happy clucking