Housing a baby chick

[wigginsfamilychicks]

Hello all! We are new to raising baby chicks and have completed our chicken coop. It is a 5' by 10' kennel with a nesting box. Two questions:
1) how old should the chicks be when putting them in the coop?
2) what bedding do you recommend for the floor of the coop? pine straw, hay, cedar chips, pine shaving?

Thank you!
Kelly & Abby

 

[Wezdin]

Hi! for the age question it all depends on the temps outside, but a chick will be fully feathered and fine in about any spring weather around 8 weeks of age.
Pine chips is the preferred material, DON"T use cedar chips, their fragrance messes with their respiratory tract. Hay or straw will work fine though. Good Luck!

 

[wigginsfamilychicks]

Hi! for the age question it all depends on the temps outside, but a chick will be fully feathered and fine in about any spring weather around 8 weeks of age.
Pine chips is the preferred material, DON"T use cedar chips, their fragrance messes with their respiratory tract. Hay or straw will work fine though. Good Luck!

Thank you so much! That is extremely helpful! We are so excited to get started!
thank you for your encouragement with the scripture. much needed in these days!

 

[rosemarythyme]

1. Depends on your temperatures and whether or not you can provide heat inside the coop. If the coop is finished and you can run heat out there, I'd brood them outside.

If you brood them inside I'd start weaning them off heat around 4 weeks or so. Again depending on temperatures and amount of feathering (I'd say around 60 in the daytime is good) you can move them out.

2. Wood shavings are popular but can be pricey. Hay may or may not get moldy. You might want to try different things to see what you like and what works for you.

I use aged wood chips (which includes cedar). I have a lot of ventilation in the coop though (over 3 sq ft per bird). I do not recommend all cedar, fresh cedar, fresh chips that are sappy (like pine).