Help, moving chicks outside

[rosinsk1772]

The 3 week old chicks have been outside since Wednesday! The heat lamos have provided them plenty of warmth, and they are happy. And just for those who are wondering, it has been freezing temps here still, and the chicks are fine! Yay!

In response to another post, I was cleaning the brooder daily, and it was stinking like crazy! With a 1 year old and a 3 year old and another flock of 6 hens, I just didn't have time to do it more than once a day.

Below are my happy babies.

And a few of my hens enjoying (ugh) this nasty weather we are having today

So after cleaning once a day did you switch to the deep litter method, and found it to work?

 

[sahmhomesteader]

So after cleaning once a day did you switch to the deep litter method, and found it to work?

They are now in the barn so time will tell. But deep litter has worked for my other flock so hopefully it will in this case too. The barn is a bit drafty so that might help the smell as well.

 

[SusanPC]

My chicks have been in their coop for three days and are ao happy. I let them run around in their chicken yard supervised today! Unfortunately I have no grass so I had to go dig up some transplants. But they had a blast digging for bugs and grass. Does anyone know an easy way to herd them back into the coop??? It is a chore!!!

Mine are spending their third night in the coop and I have let them spend the days in the attached run. I've been trying to lure them with mealworms and the first two nights they wouldn't get themselves in the coop. But tonight they figured out to flap and walk up the ramp and enter the coop to get tonight's bribe. Much easier than trying to catch them and place them into the coop. I can't really leave them in the coop locked up during the day - it gets really warm already.

 

[boyswillbeboys]

I had my day olds home for 3 hours, and DH came home, and told me I couldn't keep them upstairs, because they stunk, and it was true, everything was still fresh, brand new bag of food, and bedding, but we could really smell it. Since we moved them downstairs, we can't smell a thing.

 

[okjenyp]

Mine are spending their third night in the coop and I have let them spend the days in the attached run. I've been trying to lure them with mealworms and the first two nights they wouldn't get themselves in the coop. But tonight they figured out to flap and walk up the ramp and enter the coop to get tonight's bribe. Much easier than trying to catch them and place them into the coop. I can't really leave them in the coop locked up during the day - it gets really warm already.

I will have to try the meal worms. Tonight they just huddled up next to their ramp. I tried bread crumbs and it worked for a few but I had to herd the rest into the door.

 

[hildar]

I don't mean to sound rude, but if they smell, can't you just clean the brooder and open the window? We have ours in the house as well and never have a problem. Granted we have only had as many as 6 at a time...

True. mine we put newspaper in there under them and cleaned it out 3 times a day. That is the best way to do it. You don't want nasty dirty babies. We would even clean it out if they spilled to much water in there. The best thing that most folks can get is puppy training pads. however it can be costly later on if they have to change it more then once a day.

I am actually beginning to think that this is why people have so many babies that wont come to them, they don't clean them out often enough and allow the kids to play with them while you are changing the pads. Some of these folks need to realize that many of us have been doing this for years 20+ for me, and we never complain about the smell because there is none.

Simply put if you all would keep it cleaned out the smell wont happen. However my dog needs a bath and she stinks worse then any barn right now. Teaches me to let the kids take her out and let her run. She rolled in tons of juicy wet crap today.

 

[sahmhomesteader]

True. mine we put newspaper in there under them and cleaned it out 3 times a day. That is the best way to do it. You don't want nasty dirty babies. We would even clean it out if they spilled to much water in there. The best thing that most folks can get is puppy training pads. however it can be costly later on if they have to change it more then once a day.

I am actually beginning to think that this is why people have so many babies that wont come to them, they don't clean them out often enough and allow the kids to play with them while you are changing the pads. Some of these folks need to realize that many of us have been doing this for years 20+ for me, and we never complain about the smell because there is none.

Simply put if you all would keep it cleaned out the smell wont happen. However my dog needs a bath and she stinks worse then any barn right now. Teaches me to let the kids take her out and let her run. She rolled in tons of juicy wet crap today.

I was keeping it cleaned out to the best of my ability, and I was allowing my kids to handle them. I did not have any smell issues until they were almost 3 weeks old. So, I think this is just a case of, I had 12 3 week old chicks in the house and it got smelly. Simple as that. I was not neglecting my duties or anything.

 

[hildar]

I was keeping it cleaned out to the best of my ability, and I was allowing my kids to handle them. I did not have any smell issues until they were almost 3 weeks old. So, I think this is just a case of, I had 12 3 week old chicks in the house and it got smelly. Simple as that. I was not neglecting my duties or anything.

Mine always end up in the closed in back porch at 2 1/2 weeks max. I figure by then they are big enough to start moving around in the holding pen. From there they get into the coop in another small holding pen, until when the hens and roo get use to them normally 2 weeks, then they are set loose in the coop with everyone in the night, while older girls are asleep. Try having 100 chicks in the house like we do most years. this year it will be close to it with over 80.

 

[sahmhomesteader]

So when are you integrating them into your current flock? Right now the hens and the chicks can see each other through the coop wire. I have been trying to figure out how big they need to be before I move them in with everyone else.

 

[sahmhomesteader]

Mine always end up in the closed in back porch at 2 1/2 weeks max. I figure by then they are big enough to start moving around in the holding pen. From there they get into the coop in another small holding pen, until when the hens and roo get use to them normally 2 weeks, then they are set loose in the coop with everyone in the night, while older girls are asleep. Try having 100 chicks in the house like we do most years. this year it will be close to it with over 80.

So when are you integrating them into your current flock? Right now the hens and the chicks can see each other through the coop wire. I have been trying to figure out how big they need to be before I move them in with everyone else.