Chicks in the garage?

[rayb]

New member here and almost new chicken owner.

We are currently working on the new coop and run and have chicks on order due to arrive the last week of July. We're in Texas and it's really hot. I wanting to start the chicks in the garage where I can keep them safe but I'm worried about the heat. How hot can the little one's take and for how long? Should I bring them inside? If so, for how long?

Thanks,
Ray

 

[Barnrat]

I kept mine in the garage until yesterday, adn they did fine, but I'm in upstate NY and it doesn't get as hot here. If there is ventilation you may be ok--or you could put a fan in to circulate air? They need to be quite warm in the early weeks--95 for the first week.

Sorry not of much help.

 

[rayb]

I have two windows in the garage that I can open but they are on the East side of the house. Predominant winds are out of the Southwest. My fear is it could reach well over 100 degrees in the garage with outside temps at around 100 in August.

How hot is too hot?

Ray

 

[LindaN]

Just going by my main reference (Gail Damerow's book, Storey's Guide to Chickens), that is likely too hot.

The warmest she says to keep chicks is 95 degrees, and that is the first week after hatching. As they get older, they should get less heat.

Like any other young creature (human babies included), chicks aren't able to regulate their body temperature that well. So, we have to be attentive and give them the right warmth/cooling that they need.

You should be prepared to provide some additional cooling for them if necessary. Observe their behavior to determine if they are too warm and you need to use it. If they are spreading out from each other, seem listless, or are splaying themselves out on the floor of the brooder, then they are likely too hot.

I'd plan on giving them fresh, cool water a couple times a day, too.

If you have a basement that may be a better place for them at this time of year. Basements are typically cooler in the summer.

 

[rayb]

No basement. Bringing them inside sounds like it will be the safest bet. It will be much easier to heat them to 90-95 inside than cool them down to that in the garage or outside. It's aweful hot here in Tx this time of year. Even with the windows open and fans on them it will be well over 100 degrees during the day.

Ray

 

[SewingDiva]

Quote:
Do you have a laundry room or utility room you could use? I agree it's eaiser to heat them than it is to cool them.


~Phyllis

 

[Salt and Light]

I live in Fl and got chicks 4 weeks ago. It was hot, but 100 degrees. The chicks did fine in my garage. On occassion, I placed a fan so that it blew across the top of the enclosed pen. The fan did NOT directly blow on the chicks.

 

[rayb]

Quote:
Do you have a laundry room or utility room you could use? I agree it's eaiser to heat them than it is to cool them.


~Phyllis

I can put them in the laundry room but if I know my wife and daughters, they'll be in the living room with us. I'm going to monitor the temps in the garage during the day to see what I'm dealing with.

Thanks for the replies,
Ray

 

[HickChick Wannabe]

They'll be fun to watch in the living room, but the dust they produce will get old quickly!

The first week should be around 95, dropping about 5 degrees each week. Is the coop ready? You could just move them out there after a week or two.

Welcome to BYC!

 

[rayb]

Quote:
Coop constructions begins this Friday. I'm buying a storage building, 8'x6', and converting it. I'm also adding two runs 16'x8' each. I'm thinking a couple of weekends to complete everything.

We ordered 6 Barred Rocks for our primary egg layers. I let my girls order any two chicks they wanted. One chose an Aracauna and a Black Minorca and the other chose a RIR and a Black Star. We also got one surprise chick. They don't ship until the week of 7/23. They will be our "flock" and primary residents of the coop. I also ordered a straight run of 15 White Stars for slaughter. They will have a temp shelter in one of the runs until "d-day". After that, I'll remove the temp shelter and give the hens alternating runs. Does that sound like a good plan?

Ray