Chicks not using Heating plate

[Aleema913]

Hello everyone, my chicks are 3 weeks old..my house temp is 75° and my chicks are not using the heating plate..they do however sit on top of it and poop on the paper towel and tear it off leaving an awful mess and smell. Since they are not using it anymore can I remove it..also I'm in NC at what age can they go outside bit inside the chicken coop if I have a heating source like the plate or a lamp? BTW I have 8 chicks if that matters

 

[azygous]

At age three weeks, chicks no longer need a heat source during the day at those mild temps. As they complete acquiring feathers around age five weeks, they can be weaning off heat at night, also.

Taking your chicks outdoors at this age is an excellent way to acclimatize them to cooler temps. Choose a mild day in the 60s to start with. Be sure their romp area is secure and nothing can climb in from the top or reach in through the sides to snag a chick. Watch for signs of chilling which would be huddling, and then bring them back inside. Gradually increase the duration of these outings and the chicks will be ready to move out to the coop full time by age five weeks or sooner if the temps are above 50F.

 

[Aleema913]

I just checked the weather and for the next two weeks at night it's gonna be in the 30s so in two weeks when they are 5 weeks will they still be able to go outside with out a heat source?

 

[Aleema913]

I just checked the weather and for the next two weeks at night it's gonna be in the 30s so in two weeks when they are 5 weeks will they still be able to go outside with out a heat source?

It was warm for the past two weeks but I guess that's about to change

 

[azygous]

As long as they have a period of gradual acclimation, they will do just fine. Until then, it's permissible to supply a little heat, especially if it's going to be freezing.

 

[aart]

If at all possible, close the brooder room off from the house and crack open a window to lower the ambient temp in the brooder room.
I've found this to be a good way to acclimate them to outdoor temps.

 

[3KillerBs]

 

[3KillerBs]

From the Sandhills.

Are these your first chicks or do you have others out in the coop?

If they are your first, can you run an electric cord to the coop so that they can have heat out there and get adjusted that way?

Brooding in the coop is great because you don't have that noise, odor, and dust in the house and the chicks get used to the outside conditions gradually.

If you can't brood in the coop, can you move the brooder to a garage, shed, or sheltered porch where they can start acclimating in sheltered conditions that are closer to the outside than the house is?