Cornish X - how long in the brooder with heat?

[sideWing]

Hello All,

I'm raising my first batch of cornish X and I have a question about heat. I would like to get my CX out into a run and out of my brooder. I'm in Utah and it's 55ish at night and 80 during the day. There are 15 of them and they are now about 2.5 weeks old. Maybe 3 weeks old. In the run they will have a shelter with one side open so they will not be 100% covered at night.

How long do cornish X need to be in a shelter? I really appreciate any advice you folks can give. Thanks!


That is not the only waterer.

That Wyandotte is the same age as the Cornish X.

 

[Blackberry18]

Probably around 6 weeks, or younger. Once they're fully feathered.

 

[havery]

Is there any way to run a small heater out to the run just in case? Cornish Xs grow so quickly it's generally easy to put them out around 2-3 weeks, though with it dipping into 55 at night they might need a little something to snuggle with or under. Also, in my experience it's true Cornishes don't really feather fully until around 6 weeks, but good lord they're full size birds by then and almost ready for market! Keeping them in a brooder that long is just about impossible and ridiculously messy. Thankfully though, they do put out more body heat than normal chickens as well, so they're easier to put outside sooner than expected.

 

[sideWing]

Is there any way to run a small heater out to the run just in case? Cornish Xs grow so quickly it's generally easy to put them out around 2-3 weeks, though with it dipping into 55 at night they might need a little something to snuggle with or under. Also, in my experience it's true Cornishes don't really feather fully until around 6 weeks, but good lord they're full size birds by then and almost ready for market! Keeping them in a brooder that long is just about impossible and ridiculously messy. Thankfully though, they do put out more body heat than normal chickens as well, so they're easier to put outside sooner than expected. 

That's what I was thinking too. Maybe I will try it with a 250 watt bulb in a corner.

 

[osbmail]

I would put a heat lamp in cage for comfort.Broilers can go out a lot quicker.Just check on them when it coolest time and see if they are under the light.

 

[slingshotandLAR]

We put ours outside without heat at 3 weeks old.....

They are in tractors with a roof and 2 aides so they do have shelter. One thing that I do is adjust the heat on a sliding scale starting at day 6, the first few days it's a few degrees a day than it goes to about 4 degrees a day. By the time they are 3 weeks old they have no more heat.

Most people that raise them outside are doing roughly the same thing.

 

[chickenmanIL89]

Mine go into tractors at 2 wks old. Weather has been in 50s at night and 70s during day. Have no problems.

 

[sideWing]

We put ours outside without heat at 3 weeks old.....

They are in tractors with a roof and 2 aides so they do have shelter. One thing that I do is adjust the heat on a sliding scale starting at day 6, the first few days it's a few degrees a day than it goes to about 4 degrees a day. By the time they are 3 weeks old they have no more heat.

Most people that raise them outside are doing roughly the same thing.

Mine go into tractors at 2 wks old. Weather has been in 50s at night and 70s during day. Have no problems.

Thank you for the advice! They are going out this weekend.

 

[klr2264]

It was +5c around 40f here this morning,foggy and damp in Nova Scotia .Mine were spread around there coop,that has one screened in side sleeping when i opened it at 7am, . Mine are 3weeks old and some were under the heat lamp sleeping and some weren't. the other chicks in with them were the same way. Now at noon and +9 about 50 f some are in the yard some are in the feeder and some are under the lamp.