- Thread starter
- #11
levalleygirl88
In the Brooder
- Mar 5, 2018
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Mine go out a day or so after they get here or come out of the incubator and I know that they are eating, drinking, know where to go get warmed up, and aren't suffering from shipping or hatching stress. Temps are in the 20s with some dips into the teens, snow, wind, and whatever wild Wyoming weather hits. They are off all heat at 4 weeks and the brooder pen comes completely out at the end of that week.
My first batch, heat lamp raised in the house until 5.5 weeks, were evicted to the still-unfinished coop! Them or me! I put a lamp out there but for 2 days they weren't anywhere near it. I took it out. They thrived. It snowed the second night. That was on an April 1st. We didn't get our last snowfall until June 6th that year. Yeah.
I so totally agree with weaning them off the heat gradually before you put them out. It will encourage faster feather growth and help acclimate them. They should do fine! According to the books and experts, the little Divas should be in the house until they are darn near laying eggs in the brooder. Chicks hatched outside under a mother hen are running all over the place and dodging snow at a couple of days old because they are acclimated from the start, just need a quick warm up from time to time, and sleep all night through under her.
In the end, so much depends on your setup and your own comfort zone. if they are outgrowing their brooder, you could be looking at behavior issues like serious pecking and such starting up. And having very limited space adds to their anxiety when they are finally out in the "wide open spaces". But it's a pain in the hiney to have one brooder for this age, build another one and move them into it, then build a bigger one.......you get the picture. If it was me, I take this next week, wean them off the heat and light so they learn what darkness is (they'll hate you but they'll get over it), and during that time set up a space for them in their outside facility so it's ready for them. Good luck!!
Thank you so much! We raised the heat lamp when they hit two weeks yesterday and will continue to weekly. I also think I'm going to start turning the light off for a few hours during the day as well. We will have the coop setup soon so it's ready when they go out but I appreciate the tips very much!