Chicks outside

[LaurenRitz]

I have a maybe-non-issue that nevertheless is giving me fits. I will be receiving chicks in the mail in the next few days. I have 7 chicks 4 weeks old that are occupying the brooder I will need for the babies.

I figured it was a good time to introduce them to their new coop, so I set them up in the outdoor brooder with a heat lamp.

The problem is that they wouldn't shut up!

I watched them for a while. One would climb up the perch (a stick from the yard) until it was right under the heat lamp, then quiet down, while the others waited their turn, cheeping loudly.

Eventually the one closest to the lamp apparently got overheated, jumped down and went to the end of the line, while another took his place under the lamp.

I brought them back inside. Although there is no fire risk with a sand floor, having the light on all night isn't healthy for them. They've long since outgrown the chick heater, even at its highest position.

I'll take another look tomorrow and see what I can use as a heat source for them.

 

[AidKD]

What's the temperature been like?

 

[LaurenRitz]

What's the temperature been like?

Yesterday was high 70's F during the day, 40's at night. It's supposed to follow that pattern for the next few weeks, getting gradually warmer.

 

[Ocho 8 Farm]

Yesterday was high 70's F during the day, 40's at night. It's supposed to follow that pattern for the next few weeks, getting gradually warmer.

Chicks feather out usually by 6 weeks from my experience. So maybe just give it another week or so. I would try and keep them outside during the day in the sun so they get used to being outside, but bring them back in before sunset. Make sure they have a shaded spot tho so they can cool if if the sun is too hot.

 

[LaurenRitz]

Make sure they have a shaded spot tho so they can cool if if the sun is too hot.

Their coop faces East and it's under a big tree. I have been putting them in the greenhouse, but yesterday it got way too hot so I moved them out to their coop.

 

[homesteading101]

I take heat away at 3 weeks and they feather much faster, and I put them with their respective flocks around that age

 

[AidKD]

Chicks feather out usually by 6 weeks from my experience. So maybe just give it another week or so. I would try and keep them outside during the day in the sun so they get used to being outside, but bring them back in before sunset. Make sure they have a shaded spot tho so they can cool if if the sun is too hot.

This exactly!

 

[NatJ]

One would climb up the perch (a stick from the yard) until it was right under the heat lamp, then quiet down, while the others waited their turn, cheeping loudly.

Eventually the one closest to the lamp apparently got overheated, jumped down and went to the end of the line, while another took his place under the lamp.

It sounds like they are cold. Did you try lowering the heat lamp? If you did lower it, how did they act then?

 

[LaurenRitz]

It sounds like they are cold. Did you try lowering the heat lamp? If you did lower it, how did they act then?

No, just brought them inside for the night. They were within 6 inches of the light. I assumed they would huddle together in the hot spot on the floor, but they had other ideas.
I took care of putting the door on their outside brooder today, so we'll see. I suspect I'll be bringing them back in.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Yesterday was high 70's F during the day, 40's at night.

Are any of the chicks runty or unusually feathered (i.e. Silkies)? If they're all standard breeds, with those temps I'd be working to start move them outside, now. They can handle those temperatures just fine at 4 weeks when properly acclimated. That means cutting off heat indoors for starters.