Integrating chicks into flock at 4 weeks old.

[aart]

Hmm my chicks must still not get the fact their box is warmer than huddling by the crate door.

Probably because the huddle box is not warm until they heat it up.

 

[PNWJewele]

Is that spot where the last of the light would be at "bed time"?

Yes right next to the crate door has the last of the light.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Yes right next to the crate door has the last of the light.

Pretty common......they are kids, after all and resist bedtime. They follow every last bit of light and end up away from bed when it finally gets dark (this is also why folks moving chicks outside from an indoor brooder encounter babies that are crying in a corner of the run the first several nights vs being inside the coop). Theyll get it. In a natural setting their mother hen would be teaching them to go in before it gets dark and get settled, so that's what you are doing by moving them into the box. I would start 30 minutes before "roost" time and give them a nice treat of soaked feed to fill their crops with, theyll instinctively be ready to sleep off their big feed after that, likely go into the box, fall asleep and by the time they stir a little later will see it's now dark and just stay in "bed" until morning.

 

[PNWJewele]

Probably because the huddle box is not warm until they heat it up.

Do I need to make them a Wooly Hen or Mama Heating pad?

 

[PNWJewele]

I would start 30 minutes before "roost" time and give them a nice treat of soaked feed to fill their crops with, they'll instinctively be ready to sleep off their big feed after that, likely go into the box, fall asleep and by the time they stir a little later will see it's now dark and just stay in "bed" until morning.

I will try this. Thank you.

 

[bruceha2000]

Do I need to make them a Wooly Hen or Mama Heating pad?

Given they will be 4 weeks in just 2 days, I wouldn't go to the effort of making a MHP, they should be pretty well fully feathered now and don't need supplemental heat. But I would make one before you get chicks again, wonderful method of brooding, no need to adjust the height of a lamp and overheating a larger space, just increase the height of the cave as they grow and set the pad temp such that they come and go as needed to warm up or sleep.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Given they will be 4 weeks in just 2 days, I wouldn't go to the effort of making a MHP, they should be pretty well fully feathered now and don't need supplemental heat. But I would make one before you get chicks again, wonderful method of brooding, no need to adjust the height of a lamp and overheating a larger space, just increase the height of the cave as they grow and set the pad temp such that they come and go as needed to warm up or sleep.

X2.

 

[PNWJewele]

Given they will be 4 weeks in just 2 days, I wouldn't go to the effort of making a MHP, they should be pretty well fully feathered now and don't need supplemental heat.

X2.

Oh good. Didn't want to do this now when they haven't been using one.

Thank you both!

 

[PNWJewele]

I made the chicks their own small 3' x 5' run next to Ophelia's coop/run. At first I put the big dog crate inside they've been in for the past 3 weeks, but it took up too much room. Now I just have a cat carrier with shavings and the bottom half of a small dog crate turned upside down with their huddle box underneath. Daytime temps are mid to upper 40's. Night time down to mid to upper 20's. Do I need to provide them more sheltered area than shown in the photos?

 

[bruceha2000]

I would worry about the lack of any wind blockage. They are fine if they can fluff their feathers to keep heat in, wind blows the feathers out, bye bye heat.