Contradicting information from hatchery

[5GodsDown]

Hi

I picked up my few day old chicks from a farm/hatchery last weekend. They gave me a little paper with information. It says to provide the chicks with a heat source of at least 79 - 86 degrees for 3 weeks. The thermometer under the lowest point of my heat plate is 80.6, but the chicks are mostly lying under the other higher end. Only the smallest chick sleeps somewhere in the middle. They still sleep under it, but most of the day they're actively running around. Room temperature in the living room is around 68-73.4.

The information also says the chicks can only go out once in a while after 4-6 weeks, but I put them outside for a while this afternoon to clean their brooder and they seemed perfectly fine. At the moment outside is way hotter than inside, around 79. I put them outside again just a moment ago. They're not making any noise and seem a bit overwhelmed by everything, but they certainly don't seem cold. The even prefer the shadow. One has even laid down next to the food and is eating like some Roman emperor

So I guess as long as they're active, eating and drinking well, they should be perfectly fine, no?

 

[sourland]

Correct. Much of poultry husbandry is just common good sense. If we 'read' our animals, they tell us when they are cold/hot, hungry, scared --------------

 

[chickens really]

Hatcheries give a based outline on care. It's not written in stone. As long as your Chicks are happily eating and running around they are fine.

 

[5GodsDown]

Correct. Much of poultry husbandry is just common good sense. If we 'read' our animals, they tell us when they are cold/hot, hungry, scared --------------

I'm just really worried, they're so fragile! I've heard and read a lot of stories about chicks dying overnight, so is there a moment you could say there's not a real risk anymore? My grandma was here this afternoon, she's had chickens for decades and she said mine are looking super healthy.

I've worked on a little chicken farm some countries over and we didn't lose chicks that much, only when one of the sled dogs got out. But it's so different when they're really yours!

 

[woodmort]

I've said this elsewhere, but chicks, once they reach a couple of days post-hatch, are stronger than we give them credit for--they just look fragile. All you need to do is watch a mother hen with chicks to realize the babies can take care of themselves very well--they will run around, pick at the ground, eat just about anything and when cold or tired get under their mother as long as she lets them.