Is it okay to move 3 1/2 week old chicks to coop.

[aswartzalso]

Hello everyone. I am new to raising chickens. My babies were born March 25. I have some Barred Rock and Rhode Island Reds that I will be raising for egg layers. My wonderful hubby has built me a nice coop outdoors that is 4 x 8. We got the ideas from this site. It is very secure and has windows and vents roost and nesting boxes. I have been keeping my chicks in a bedroom in a large rubbermaid box. Of course now they are flying out and all over the room. I have only been putting the heat lamp on at night only-and they avoid it. I think I need to switch to a regular light bulb instead of the heat lamp.

My coop is ready. My run will be this weekend. I want to move them out of the bedroom to the coop today. We are actually experiencing some cooler temps- 60 days and 40 at night. Is it too soon. They have most of their feathers-except their heads. I can add the heat source to the coop. I am thinking the heat lamp will produce too much heat. Maybe just use a regular 60 watt bulb. If I move them should I open the vents? They are located up high so wont put a draft on them.

I dont plan on turning them out in the run until weather warms up next week to 70 and 80s.

If it is too soon I am thinking of putting them out there in the day and bringing them in to a large dog crate at night.

Please advise. I love this site and have learned so much I am enjoying my chickens!!!
Amy

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Move them out and hang a heat lamp in a corner of the coop. They'll run under it if they want to warm up and they'll probably sleep under or next to it all just like with a broody hen.
Mine go out when they come out of the hatcher.


Do keep them in the coop for a few days till they get used to sleeping in there so when you do let them out they'll know to go in at dusk.

 

[chickenlily13]

My reds are 5 weeks old and are headed to the coop tmr , just finished it so it's ready for them! Probably put the heat lamp out there with them for a bit in case they need it. They will stay inside the coop and only be let out when its nice out. It has ventilation so it should get them adjusted to the outside world! Vermont's weather is crazy so probably put lamp on a timer for nights only. It's going to be interesting to watch them adjust to their new enviroment. Have fun.

 

[jennchick]

I moved my 3 week chicks to the coop with a heat lamp and they love it!

 

[Ridgerunner]

Welcome to the forum! Glad you joined us!

At 3-1/2 weeks and those temperatures they probably still need heat. I sure would not turn it off yet. Just make sure the heat is really secure. Don’t depend on that clamp but secure it with wire, chain, something that cannot get knocked off if a chick tries to fly up and perch on it. You don’t want a fire.

I fully agree to heat one area and let the rest cool off. Open your ventilation up high so it can cool off. That’s OK as long as the ventilation openings are high enough so a direct breeze doesn’t hit them.

I brood mine in the coop from Day 1. I have a large brooder with good ventilation and a real good draft guard. My heat is only in one area and the rest can cool off a lot. That way they can find their own comfort zone. What normally happens is that after a few days they are playing all over the brooder and just going back to the heat when they need to warm up. They will probably sleep near the heat source at night.

Watch them a bit. If they never leave the heat source you may need more heat in the brooder but with that age and those temperatures you should be fine. Just keep one area warm enough and let the rest cool off. They’ll find where they want to be.

During our triple digit heat wave last summer I turned the daytime heat off at Day 2 and the overnight heat off at 5 days. Their body language told me they didn’t need it. During really cold weather, like overnight lows around freezing, I’ve kept it on for 5 weeks, day and night. I’ve had chicks at age 5-1/2 weeks in an unheated, well-ventilated, draft-free coop when the overnight lows hit the mid 20’s. I do think them being acclimated by the far reaches of the brooder cooling off helped them. It seems each batch I brood is a little different.

From what you have described I think you are in the perfect situation to heat one area, let the rest cool off, and get them out of your house. Sounds like your coop is about right for that.

Good luck and once again

 

[aswartzalso]

They are out-loving their new space-hopping up on the roost-eating-drinking-checking out the nesting boxes scratching pecking all that stuff!. A little nervous by the outdoor noises and my curious face staring in thoough the windows. Leaving one vent open and heat lamp on. I will check them a couple of times tonight.

 

[Easter Bunny]

Hi, I have 5 chicks born about march 10th. I have a coop for them but I am not sure they will be able to handle it. Every time I let them out, they just huddle together all freaked out. Is that normal? Is there someone for Colorado that can advise? I have really had with them in the house. They are getting stinky and the dust they kick up from scratching has gotten in every nook and cranny. Thanks!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I'm sure if I kept chicks in the house the dust wouldn't have a chance to kill me, my wife would already have completed the task.

I'm not from CO but I love that state. It does get cold here though and I brood chicks outdoors all year except mid summer. Unheated uninsulated building. With heat lamps going it still occasionally gets into the 20s in the building. Never lost a chick to the cold.

That behavior is normal.

 

[Easter Bunny]

Big thanks! These are my first batch and I'd hate to lose them. How would I explain that to my 2 3yr old twins? They all went to live at the neighbors house? Lol! Your advise is reassuring and I think I will move them out right after I put on the finishing touches on their coop! Thanks again!

 

[annav410]

Hi, I have 5 chicks born about march 10th. I have a coop for them but I am not sure they will be able to handle it. Every time I let them out, they just huddle together all freaked out. Is that normal? Is there someone for Colorado that can advise? I have really had with them in the house. They are getting stinky and the dust they kick up from scratching has gotten in every nook and cranny. Thanks!

Hey there! I live in Colorado and was going to put my 6 week chicks out last week but with the cold snap and snow storms, we ended up waiting. We put them out last night with no heat and they did just fine. We checked on them a couple times and they were all huddled together. Even my 14 year old son checked up on them a couple of times. So cute! We don't have our run completed yet but I figured it was much better to have them locked in a much larger area vs. crowded and getting a little on the stinky side in my master bathroom.

We are thinking abut adding the heat lamp with the next storm coming in early this week but I am not sure they will need it.

How many do you have? If you have more then 4, that will help them to keep warm when they huddle together, but if you have less, you might want to wait or at least add a secure heat source.