Chicks in heat wave. advice please

[wanttobefarmer]

Hello I have 10 chicks that are just over a week old. I have a brooder set up in my bathroom. I also have a brooder set up inside the chicken coop outside. I usually keep them inside for the first 2 weeks (it's about as long as I can without overcrowding in the bathroom) then transfer them to the brooder in the coop. My question is that I'm in Texas and the temps have gotten to 104 and 105 degrees in the day and about 78 at night. Not sure how old they need to be before they can handle the heat and what temps are safe. I have 5 EE 's, 2 golden lakenvelder, 1 welsummer, 1 blue laced rw, and 1 blue andulusian. Thanks

 

[TwoCrows]

Chicks don't have the ability to adjust thier internal temps as easily as adult chickens do. So I THINK that maybe 104 degree heat might be too much for week old chicks and could kill them. If you can hold off til they are 3 weeks at least, they might be better off.

Do you have another bathroom?

 

[wanttobefarmer]

Quote:
Thanks that is what I was thinking. Next week it is supposed to drop to 96 and I'm hoping this is just a heat wave. It's not even officially summer yet.

 

[Mommy 2 Wee Ones]

I also have 10 chicks that were in a brooder (rubbermaid container), we got them May 18th, there were inside for 3 weeks before they were moved out to the coop. I now have 5 chicks in the brooder waiting to be moved out in a few weeks.
I am in North Texas, and am always out wetting down their run, switching out melted water jugs for frozen water jugs.

 

[SunnyCalifornia]

Walmart usually has those little misting systems that hook up to your hose. Or Lowes/Homedepot have the misters on stands. Fans and misters, as well as frozen 2 liter bottles is how i keep my chickens cool in our hot dry summers.

 

[remuda1]

Hi, I'm about an hour southwest of Fort Worth and you're right, the temps have been brutal. I have 18 two and a half week old chicks in an outdoor brooder/grow out pen, they've been outside for a week. This pen is located in the main run. I also have 8 10 week olds that have access to the run during the day. I've been hosing down the whole run a couple of times a day but I also decided to go get two shallow containers about 5X12 inches. I put play sand in them and then wet it down. It's been a huge hit. I wish the pictures were better, but you get the idea.

I know it's crazy, but I turn the heat lamp on at night since it's still getting into the 70s and they have REALLY thrived out there. I hope to only have the heat lamp in use for the next two weeks or so, by then I hope they can do without.

I tried a mister today but everyone freaked out and ran a) back into the coop and b) to the end of the outdoor brooder farthest away from the mister

..... I wish they would tolerate it, it sure cools it down nice.

Kristi

 

[Sarahmorgan]

Walmart usually has those little misting systems that hook up to your hose. Or Lowes/Homedepot have the misters on stands. Fans and misters, as well as frozen 2 liter bottles is how i keep my chickens cool in our hot dry summers.

I live in Texas also it's been 108* my chicks are a little bit over one week old. It is too hot for them to be out so I put up misters and they're all doing great. They are not stressed they are not panting. There are areas where they can go where it is dry and shaded.