Integrating my chicks - HELP

[Ruralhideaway]

Here's my warm room. The black you can see under them is the heating pad with the vinyl cover. They move the shavings around lots, then I fix it. Repeat.

Tomorrow I will likely enlarge the doors and add another. Fat cochins are hogging the doorways, blocking them up.

They are warm now, had really cold feet before and weren't moving around eating much.

 

[aart]

I have forgotten to lower the heat, so I’m doing that tonight but we think they are 4-6 weeks.

they should be off heat by now...I usually turn it off by 3 weeks if they are in the house. Can you close off the room they are in and open a window so they get used to cooler temps?

 

[aart]

Here's my warm room. The black you can see under them is the heating pad with the vinyl cover. They move the shavings around lots, then I fix it. Repeat.

Tomorrow I will likely enlarge the doors and add another. Fat cochins are hogging the doorways, blocking them up.

They are warm now, had really cold feet before and weren't moving around eating much.
View attachment 1180554
View attachment 1180556

Are they outside? Might want some holes in the top of 'room'. I remember putting a bunch of chicks in a tote as I banded them, it got really warm inside that tote...so might not need the heating pad in there.

What's that off to the right in first pic...heating pad on platform?

 

[Ruralhideaway]

My guys are in the outdoor brooder. Ambient temp in coop matches outdoors. Low 30s through 41 right now. Low of 19 coming this week.

Yes that's a heating pad mounted on bottom of a shelf. I raised it but they don't seem to go under anymore. The top couldn't hold them all anymore so I made that room so it could be a draft block also.

 

[aart]

My guys are in the outdoor brooder. Ambient temp in coop matches outdoors. Low 30s through 41 right now. Low of 19 coming this week.

Yes that's a heating pad mounted on bottom of a shelf. I raised it but they don't seem to go under anymore. The top couldn't hold them all anymore so I made that room so it could be a draft block also.

How old are they....4-6 weeks?
They look pretty much fully feathered.
They probably don't need any heat......better to let them acclimate to the cold temps.

 

[Ruralhideaway]

They went out before they were a month. Just 4 weeks today actually.

 

[Ruralhideaway]

Also there are Faverolles in there who only have wing feathers still. They either don't eat as well or are just slower to feather. But they've been terrorized by the more active of the bunch, could be a factor. They seem happier and calmer outside.

Those cochins sure look like they'd do fine without heat. They are laying around away from the warmers often. Great feather already.

I'm thinking I can use the outdoor brooder to integrate, maybe remove the doors and replace with something only the chicks can get into. Panic room set up.

 

[Mrs. K]

No the older chickens will not keep them warm. They will be like two separate flocks until the babies chicks start to lay eggs.

4 week old chicks should be pretty feathered. If you are limited to week-ends, put them outside on Saturday morning, leave them out there for 3-4 hours, bring them in for a couple of hours to warm up, back out for a couple hours, back in over night, next day repeat, maybe a little longer, back in for the night. Out all day on Monday, in the coop Monday night.

You might lock the older birds out of the run/coop for a day. Letting the little ones explore the coop/run, without pressure from older birds. Hideouts are a good idea, and you can stomp around out there, scaring them slightly to find the hideouts.

One way gates, where the chicks can have a zone of safety. I used lattice panels, and it worked great. The chicks quickly learned where their safe zone was.

A lot will depend if your flock has had chicks before. If they have had other chicks, I think they are more tolerant of them.

Do make sure you have multiple feeding and water available.

Mrs K

 

[BYC910]

I put mine in wire gages with food and water and bedding inside the coop and keep them like that for a while.Really until the older ones don't pay them any mind . Any way they can all sleep in the same coop and be separate will do . Most of the time a couple of days is enough for older ones and a week or so for younger ones .