Chicks outside during day, inside at night?

[frenchtchr]

ok, so I've got my dog's x pen outside with chicken wire on top, shade, water and food. Chicks are between 4-6 weeks (two are from 6/14 & 6/21, two from 6/27). It's about 95-100 here during the day, but only 65 at night. Should I bring them back in at night? I have no way to put a heat lamp outside to their location. They're pretty much fully feathered, I'll post a photo below. I wanted the regular girls to see them before I will start free ranging everyone together.

Also,if I can keep them outside at night, what do I have them sleep in? A small box with shavings? Ideas welcome. thanks!

 

[lcwmt]

Not an expert here, others will give you seasoned advice! I can only offer my experience. My chicks were feathered out at 4-5 weeks old, they were active, had not had supplemental heat in a while. When they were about 3 weeks old we introduced them to their coop/roost but kept it all indoors (messy home entertainment center! This also allowed us to monitor and train behaviour from the dogs and cat)
We moved their coop outside when the overnight temps were at stable at 50 plus. Lots of pine shavings, a cubby on the ground for snuggling up in the day. They did great!
A good side effect: no shock about "new" digs.

 

[frenchtchr]

I turned off the heat lamp about a week ago, but the other night they were chirping up a storm, so I turned it back on after I cleaned out the brooder box and they quieted down. I'm just hoping introductions go well.

 

[lazy gardener]

Age wise, they should be fine to be outside at night. However, that pen is not predator proof. A weasel can easily squeeze through the chicken wire, and will kill all of them just for the fun of it. A raccoon will reach through the wire, and pull a chick to the wire, eating the chick through the wire. To be safe, they need 1/2" hdw. cloth over all openings. If they are used to a heat lamp, they will scream in the dark b/c it's something new for them.

 

[frenchtchr]

I live in southern California. We don't have weasels here. There are raccoons, but none in this area as we are far from the river/water sources, so thanks for that. I'll try to modify it.

ETA: We may have weasels in CA, but not where I live. Here it's occasionally coyotes or opossums, maybe raccoons.

 

[azygous]

I live in southern California. We don't have weasels here. There are raccoons, but none in this area as we are far from the river/water sources, so thanks for that. I'll try to modify it.

Where in So Cal do you live? I lived for a time within walking distance of downtown L.A. and I had rats the size of cats chew through my window screen on the second story and come into my living quarters and frolic at night. They will eat baby chicks, chewing on their body parts while they sleep. Also, coyotes are very common in So Cal.

Sometimes the predators in the city are far worse than in the country.

 

[barred2rock]

I would section off the back with plywood, making a coop of sorts. You could even put in a pop up door & a roost. I agree with lazy gardner in regards to the hardware cloth, include it in the sectioned off area.

 

[frenchtchr]

Where in So Cal do you live? I lived for a time within walking distance of downtown L.A. and I had rats the size of cats chew through my window screen on the second story and come into my living quarters and frolic at night. They will eat baby chicks, chewing on their body parts while they sleep. Also, coyotes are very common in So Cal.

Sometimes the predators in the city are far worse than in the country.

Near Corona. Grew up in the South Bay, went to college in LB.

 

[azygous]

Hah! I also grew up in South Bay - Manhattan Beach.

I also can remember Corona when there was very little there. I bet there were weasels there 75 years ago. Here's a website detailing the wildlife you can expect to be a threat to chicks. http://allstateanimalcontrol.com/cities.php?city=Corona&state=california

Looks like rats are one of the biggest predators. Rats are very smart, therefore a real threat. I love those electric rat traps. I used one in my run before it finally croaked. You need to position it so baby chicks can't access it, though. It would fry them, too.

 

[Ellie Hooks]

They're always preditors.... just do the best you can... i have hawks.. owls.. coons... and a Ferrell cat or two... haven't had any snakes yet just a matter of time tho.... so far no casualties...