Help, moving chicks outside

[Realtree4]

. Happy dance!

 

[judacious]

I am so happy to find this thread I am moving the four 5 week old chicks out to the coop soon as I am off work today. I work at home but the dust is driving me crazy I clean the brooder 2 times a week but the smell of them and the eight 2 week old chicks in the other brooder is getting to me lol. the 2 week olds can stay in for another week or 2 but the big guys are getting to big.

 

[rosinsk1772]

Just to clarify for my six week old chicks fully feathered if I move them to the coop do I need the heat lamp? It's hovering around 33 degrees for a low inside my coop. I thought maybe the heat of the birds inside would warm it up to

 

[CrazyChickGirl]

They probably don't need a heat lamp, but what temps are they in now? I tried to transition mine to lower temps gradually so it wouldn't be too much of a shock.

 

[SusanPC]

Hi - I don't know the answer to the 6-week chicks getting down to 33 degrees at night, but congrats on your decision to move and good luck! My understanding is that once they are fully feathered - they are good to go, but I'm a newbie. I plan on using the light until they are fully feathered (probably in another week) or the nights warm into the 60s. Obviously I'm experiencing much different weather than you are. I didn't realize how much anxiety moving them would cause me, but as a first-timer, I'll cut myself some slack. I was definitely ready to get them out of the house and they were ready. They were constantly trying to get out of their brooder and perch on top and then had started flying to the floor to scope out my house. They were telling me that they were big girls now and ready to explore and move to the next phase. The dust was incredible starting at about 3 weeks. I will definitely revise my plans if I ever brood chicks again (of course I will - I've been bitten by the chicken bug!).

 

[rosinsk1772]

Thats along the lines of what mine are doing. I have stopped using the heat lamp in my basement which is 56 degrees, and there's been no issue

 

[rosinsk1772]

They probably don't need a heat lamp, but what temps are they in now? I tried to transition mine to lower temps gradually so it wouldn't be too much of a shock.

I keep the heat lamp off almost all the time now. They are perching on top of everything trying to escape. What I'm trying to figure out his how much heat will they naturally generate in the coop. The coops at 33 for a low at night where would they with shavings and poop bring it up to

 

[okjenyp]

I put my 4 week old chicks out in the coop yesterday. It dropped down in the 40s last night. Maybe high 30s. I put their heatlamp in the coop and I guess they were comfortable enough , they didn't huddle under it. They were all scattered around. As a treat I made them a warm dish of oatmeal for breakfast and they gobbled it up! It does cause a lot of maternal anxiety raising chicks for the first time.

 

[latb611]

I am fixing to move mine outside. We have lows in the 50's and they will be 6 weeks on Monday. I am going to have mine setup with a yard and then close them up in a small coop at night. My question is do I need to find a way to put food and water in the coop with them for overnight or will they be fine without it?

 

[Realtree4]

The hens that I have get locked up in their roost at night without their food and water. First thing in the morning, I let them out and they head right to the food and water and go about their business....it works for them