Keeping Bantam Chicks Outside

[mary3128]

Hello We live outside of Amarillo, Texas. We have 5 bantam chicks who are all a little over 3 wks. They are almost fully feathered and they currently live in a rabbit coop in our garage. I was wondering how old they should be to live outside. The days: 60 - 70 and the nights: 40 - 55. Some days get windy but we'd keep them covered. And we could keep a heat lamp on them for as long as needed.

Thanks ya'll

 

[SlipsWife]

Hi from Odessa!

We moved ours out at a little shy of a month because the new guys were coming and we needed the brooder. One was a bantam and the others were red sex-links and as far as weather goes they've done great. (our dog is another, sad, story) I still plug their heat lamp in at night and unplug it in the morning. I've plugged it in earlier and left it longer the last couple of days because its been so cold. I'm thinking about getting a lower watt heat bulb (we have the 250 from TSC right now) to gradually take them off of it once it warms back up. I might just mover it higher and put it on for less time. They sell timers that you can plug them into so you can set the hours you want (I bought mine at HEB where the extension cords are).

Good luck with the move into the great outdoors!