Colorado

They were hatched in October. I have one crowing right now and if someone is willing to come out and look at the others to tell me which might also be males I'd really appreciate it. The farm I got them from had a sex guarantee but I can't find their information again and he has to go today.
 
Ok, So I've got the chicks in the house still and want to move them to their new digs outside as soon as they digs are finished! The chicks have been off the heat lamp for 2 weeks now and are pretty fully feathered. The house doesn't really drop below 64 degrees.

My questions are do I have to 'acclimate' the chicks to being outside by increasing the time spent out there over a week or two before they can live in their run? Also, do I need to add a heat lamp to their coop at night for a bit, meaning will the shock of switching to sleeping outside where temps drop below 60 at night be too much for them?
 
i found the farmer's info and am taking them up there now. hopefully not all 3 will be males.
Good luck!
Ok, So I've got the chicks in the house still and want to move them to their new digs outside as soon as they digs are finished! The chicks have been off the heat lamp for 2 weeks now and are pretty fully feathered. The house doesn't really drop below 64 degrees.

My questions are do I have to 'acclimate' the chicks to being outside by increasing the time spent out there over a week or two before they can live in their run? Also, do I need to add a heat lamp to their coop at night for a bit, meaning will the shock of switching to sleeping outside where temps drop below 60 at night be too much for them?
Probably would be a good idea to have a heat lamp in the coop for a while. You could try raising it a bit each day or every few days to wean them off of it once they're outside. I wouldn't worry about acclimating them to being outside, as long as they're free to come inside if they're cold.
 
Holy Cow! Teach me to not read posts for a few days!
Mayah, I was so sorry to read about your birds. That is quite a blow.
hugs.gif

Welcome Newbies!
Not much going on around here, just melting , melting, mud and more mud.
 
Ok, So I've got the chicks in the house still and want to move them to their new digs outside as soon as they digs are finished! The chicks have been off the heat lamp for 2 weeks now and are pretty fully feathered. The house doesn't really drop below 64 degrees.

My questions are do I have to 'acclimate' the chicks to being outside by increasing the time spent out there over a week or two before they can live in their run? Also, do I need to add a heat lamp to their coop at night for a bit, meaning will the shock of switching to sleeping outside where temps drop below 60 at night be too much for them?

As a general rule once they have feathers they really don't need supplemental heat. If you have another day or two before the enclosure is done you can try setting up a kind of play pen for them so they have some time outside each day (make sure it has a top, a piece of hardware cloth or something that will keep them from flying out). Usually the first few nights in the coop they will huddle together in the shavings, but it isn't long before they start roosting at night. They are well insulated and should be fine. Make sure they have a few inches of shavings (or straw or whatever you are using on the floor) to snuggle in.
 
The farmer was really nice, took back one rooster and one probable and gave me two laying hens back. I'll miss my Barred Rock rooster. He was gorgeous.
 

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