cold and chick

[Henny peeny]

I have a chick that was a unexpected and it is about 2 months or maybe older anyhow it is fully feathered. It is getting colder in the 40's at night and 60's during the day we are now getting 70's this next week. I am concerned as to the cold to hot and back again.

I have hay in the back to keep both warm I can put a heat lamp in but ai fear it is to hot and will cause a fire on the insert it says if plastic it can melt it I am not to sure of a light bulb where they are is a old rabbit cage for the safety of the little chick so it would not get out and one of our cats get it. So it is about 22 inches high and if the hen or chick would peck at it and it broke well glass is not good and the exsposed filament is not good and shock from it isn't good and I just don't know.

Is this chick old enough to be on it's own? GAWD don't get me wrong I am not taking it way from the hen NOT YET but if it coud be on it's own without the hen possibly maybe this cold to hot wouldn't be a problem well I wouldn't have fear for it. I am not able to bring it in I dont want it to get use to the inside then go out I feel it would get sick, and the only thing is to have it outside.

Rhayden

 

[Fred's Hens]

Any chick that is fully feathered and 8 weeks old can well adjust to changing temperatures. I brooded last fall and at 8 weeks, the chicks were in their grow out pen in the barn and did great with 15-18F. There is absolutely no concerns about an 8 week old chick, in fact, these cool nights is nature's way of forcing a great down coat to grow in anticipation of the coming winter. No worries. I'd be much more afraid of burning something important down.

 

[rancher hicks]

What I like to do is put one of those large round thermometers in the coop. You would be surprised at how much heat a chicken can generate. If this chick is not by itself it should be ok. Chickens do very well in the cold as opposed to the heat. You are well below VA and the latest Back Yard Poultry magazine has an article on keeping chickens in the winter. 40* is nothing compared to what we get here in NY. Would to God it never got below that here. So since it's fully feathered I would think it would be fine. As long as it is healthy and fed a high protein diet. Also it might not hurt to give it a little scratch at night. Corn generates heat and chickens can benefit from a full crop at night. If you give scratch in the winter I like to give them just a little in the morning and then more in the evening before I shut them up for the night. Remember ventilation is probably the most neglected thing IMO that we do.

Take care and I hope things go well,

Rancher

 

[CupOJoe42]

You do not need a heat lamp, and they are a fire hazard!!! Your chick will be fine. They are fully feathered by 8 weeks and will adjust to the temperatures as long as they are dry and draft-free.

 

[fiddlebanshee]

I agree that you don't need a heat lamp with chicks 8 weeks old.

But I disagree with the previous poster that heatlamps always are a fire hazard.

If you use your common sense, secure the lamp firmly and not only by its clamp, there is nothing dangerous about a heatlamp. I have had my chicks in my coop since day 1 with a 250 watt red heat lamp initially and a 150 watt one now and have them secured with two metal chains attached independently from each other. There is no chance in hell that these two methods are going to fail simultaneously.

Like with everything in life -- there is a danger but if you use your common sense and a few extra precautionairy measures there is nothing wrong with a heatlamp.

 

[CupOJoe42]

Fire hazard means that there is a possibility of fire if not handled properly. Doesn't mean a guarantee of a fire.

 

[SteveBaz]

Fred's Hens :

Any chick that is fully feathered and 8 weeks old can well adjust to changing temperatures. I brooded last fall and at 8 weeks, the chicks were in their grow out pen in the barn and did great with 15-18F. There is absolutely no concerns about an 8 week old chick, in fact, these cool nights is nature's way of forcing a great down coat to grow in anticipation of the coming winter. No worries. I'd be much more afraid of burning something important down.

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[Henny peeny]

Thanks I have concern this is the first time of a chick now I got some in April or was it may and it was just getting warm and I fretted so much that they would not do well the temp was 60 but dip to 50 58 and I ran out every day to see them and all but they did fine. The chick is with the mother and she is good cusses at me everytime I put food in I had to look a the chick once it look to have blood on it's foot but it was not it was a dull colour red all was well it looked like just poop we have red dirt and I give them rolly pollies and I think it was just diry from them.

Rhayden