Colorado

[krcchickens]

My chicks are 5 weeks Friday. I had been shutting the lamp off during the day then I shut it down overnight. They seemed cold so it's on again. Do you think I'm being to much of a mother hen? Also, before moving them outside should I move them to the garage? Is it way to early yet

 

[maggiemo]

I have three week out chicks outside with a momma broody. I haven't seen them under her during the day for over a week. In fact. I see them ON her, riding around. (dang that is cute)
I am sure they are under her at night. But I am amazed how unfazed they seem by the cold. It was about 30F this morning. I was working in the coop all morning and they just ran around scratching the soil. They are about 1/2 feathered in now.
No point to my story, just an observation. This is my first time raising chicks, not just with a broody, ever. So I have nothing to compare it to

.
mo

 

[Ataylor]

I need help please! Its nearing the end of day 21 and no pipping and no movement. When I candled the egg on day 18 it was very much alive, its been on lock down for the last three days and everything has been perfect, the temperature has been a consistent 99 degrees and my humidity fluctuates a bit but never below 60 and never above 70. Can I candle the egg or will this be certain death if there is still life? Do I just wait impatiently for another day? Im feeling so defeated. This was my first hatch, I set 5 eggs two were fertile and I dropped one on the 7th day so I have only the one and it was doing so well but hasn't hatched, I am ready to cry

Any advice?

 

[Pozees]

So, got a question, my chicks are now 6 weeks old on Friday. Do you guys think I can leave them outside? I've integrated them in with my other 4 chickens and turkey and they all get along just fine. They seem to be feathered out now also. Any opinions? They've been staying in the basement which doesn't get AS cold as outside, but it gets cold.

Yes they are fine, as long as their coop is secure and draft-free. At six weeks of age they have plenty of feathers to stay warm, and they will huddle at night to keep one another warm if necessary.

 

[Pozees]

I need help please! Its nearing the end of day 21 and no pipping and no movement. When I candled the egg on day 18 it was very much alive, its been on lock down for the last three days and everything has been perfect, the temperature has been a consistent 99 degrees and my humidity fluctuates a bit but never below 60 and never above 70. Can I candle the egg or will this be certain death if there is still life? Do I just wait impatiently for another day? Im feeling so defeated. This was my first hatch, I set 5 eggs two were fertile and I dropped one on the 7th day so I have only the one and it was doing so well but hasn't hatched, I am ready to cry

Any advice?

99 is a touch low and 60-70 might be a touch high, with your temp steady at 99 it will hatch a bit late in all likelihood. Optimal temp is 99.5-100.5, hatch humidity should be 55%-65%. Incubation humidity in the 40s (42-48% ideally). Fluctuations will occur for all of us, it's especially tough here in arid CO to keep humidity stable, but when you think of how a hen hatches, temps and humidity will change when she gets off the nest to move about each day, even if only a few minutes. Don't candle, just put your ear close and listen to see if you hear peeping - not that this is a certainty, I've had them peep at hatch time and not even pip; if they can't pip they generally have a poor chance of survival and there isn't much you can do to change it. If you can hear peeping it still has a chance to hatch. Don't give up until day 25. Every hatch is a learning experience. In the perfect world every egg would hatch a healthy chick, and 9 of 10 would be pullets, but that isn't the world we have, and some chicks will develop right up to lockdown and quit.

If I had to guess, I'd say you will see a pip tomorrow.

 

[Pozees]

My chicks are 5 weeks Friday. I had been shutting the lamp off during the day then I shut it down overnight. They seemed cold so it's on again. Do you think I'm being to much of a mother hen? Also, before moving them outside should I move them to the garage? Is it way to early yet

Moving to the garage with outside time during the day will make an easier transition for them, but don't give them too long, by the end of a week they should be outside full time. The sooner they are exposed to fresh air and sunshine, the healthier they will be in the long run. The more we coddle them, the weaker they are and the less capable they are of withstanding all our climate offers. We never know when we will lose power or have a late spring storm, so getting them accustomed to the weather while it's relatively nice out will help them toughen up. If you are in the path of this weekend's storm, let them sleep in the garage until it passes, but after that I'd get them outside scratching and maturing.

 

[Ataylor]

99 is a touch low and 60-70 might be a touch high, with your temp steady at 99 it will hatch a bit late in all likelihood. Optimal temp is 99.5-100.5, hatch humidity should be 55%-65%. Incubation humidity in the 40s (42-48% ideally). Fluctuations will occur for all of us, it's especially tough here in arid CO to keep humidity stable, but when you think of how a hen hatches, temps and humidity will change when she gets off the nest to move about each day, even if only a few minutes. Don't candle, just put your ear close and listen to see if you hear peeping - not that this is a certainty, I've had them peep at hatch time and not even pip; if they can't pip they generally have a poor chance of survival and there isn't much you can do to change it. If you can hear peeping it still has a chance to hatch. Don't give up until day 25. Every hatch is a learning experience. In the perfect world every egg would hatch a healthy chick, and 9 of 10 would be pullets, but that isn't the world we have, and some chicks will develop right up to lockdown and quit.

If I had to guess, I'd say you will see a pip tomorrow.

Thank you for the information. I tapped and no peep but I haven't given up hope yet.

 

[pichuris]

Moving to the garage with outside time during the day will make an easier transition for them, but don't give them too long, by the end of a week they should be outside full time. The sooner they are exposed to fresh air and sunshine, the healthier they will be in the long run. The more we coddle them, the weaker they are and the less capable they are of withstanding all our climate offers. We never know when we will lose power or have a late spring storm, so getting them accustomed to the weather while it's relatively nice out will help them toughen up. If you are in the path of this weekend's storm, let them sleep in the garage until it passes, but after that I'd get them outside scratching and maturing.

Ain't that the truth. When she was younger she got pecked on and was bleeding so of course her hatch mates are going to continue so I separated her until she grew in her first feathers and now its high maintenance but I absolutely love her. However, in my case she is fine with the climate she just refuses to defend herself. The lowest on the totem pole. She should not have been born a chicken, lol. During feeding time I have to separate her to eat and then I let her out for the remaining of the day. Otherwise she doesn't eat. Sheesh.

 

[Pozees]

Ain't that the truth. When she was younger she got pecked on and was bleeding so of course her hatch mates are going to continue so I separated her until she grew in her first feathers and now its high maintenance but I absolutely love her. However, in my case she is fine with the climate she just refuses to defend herself. The lowest on the totem pole. She should not have been born a chicken, lol. During feeding time I have to separate her to eat and then I let her out for the remaining of the day. Otherwise she doesn't eat. Sheesh.

Oh for sure you separate anything that is bleeding or it will be dead. We have a cat who is like your hen, he is the oldest of the group, a very picky eater, and will abandon his dinner in a heartbeat if another cat looks at it longingly LOL. He eats off by himself and a good meal is one he actually finishes half of. We have dry food available free choice all the time, and based on his weight he gets plenty of that.

I have no problem making a pet of a chicken, I probably sounded harsh, huh? Just in too much of a hurry these days, but there is good news ... we have a painted shed!!! Bob finished the first coat of grey last night, and OMG it looks SO much better! Today he'll probably work on trim and over the weekend we'll begin building the inside pens so I can move the chicks. My back will be SO grateful LOL. The tentative plan is to build 4 4x6 pens out of 2x4s and pegboard, could have as many as 6 that size but that would be snug, and I want to make them so I can divide in half for small breeding pens when I want to make very specific matings next year, and then take the divider out later so they have the full pen size again. Bob is brainstorming tops made of PVC and netting that hinge to the wall so I can lift them easily to get inside the pens without bending over. Down the road we would like to put in a loft at 6 feet so I can store light things like bales of shavings up there.

Anyway, I guess I should do a better job of saying, if your goal is to have a largely self-sufficient flock that needs no special care to survive all manner of weather, getting them out in the coop at as early an age as possible is the first step in the process. Wind and varying temps together with good grower feed (18-20% protein at least) create the conditions that encourage good healthy feather growth, and those feathers are key.

 

[Mtn Margie]

Thank you for the information. I tapped and no peep but I haven't given up hope yet.

Yes, just be patient. Low temps = late hatch, even up through day 24. .