Mama Heating Pad in the Brooder (Picture Heavy) - UPDATE

[bruceha2000]

Sounds good then. Many (most?) people have their chickens locked up at night because their runs aren't predator proof. If they can always get to their run they have the space they need.

I think you'll be fine with the kids up in the coop. They can skip the outside part for a week or two and be none the worse for wear. Zorra didn't take the 2015 littles more than a couple of feet from the door from the brooder into the alley the first week. Slowly she took them a bit farther but we had to encourage her to get them outside when they were, I think, 3 weeks old. The 2017s took themselves that distance (in the other direction) by about then.

When they start getting more adventurous, you can be the mama hen that makes sure they know how to get up and down the ramp. Make sure they are back up in the brooder space when you aren't there and I think you'll find they learn it for themselves pretty quickly.

 

[feathermaid]

Oh good! Thanks for your input! I won't worry so much about it anymore. I've learned if you pay attention, the chicks always tell you what they're ready for.
I'm excited about giving this early integrating thing a shot! I just have to get busy building the new coop.

 

[bruceha2000]

Yep, that coop building always takes more time than one expects it to.

 

[tigger19687]

Great that you will keep them up. Knowing that you all get a lot of rain is why I didn't think the bottom would be good.
So glad there will be space up in the coop.

 

[bruceha2000]

Oh good! Thanks for your input! I won't worry so much about it anymore. I've learned if you pay attention, the chicks always tell you what they're ready for.
I'm excited about giving this early integrating thing a shot! I just have to get busy building the new coop.

I think the thing you will most likely have to watch out for is the older girls chasing the younger ones and them trying to hide in the run somewhere rather than heading back up the ramp to their brooder area. That is why my 2017s found their "personal space" in the alpacas' area of the alley. But they likely won't have the opportunity for a couple of weeks anyway. I believe that most of the time the older ones don't see the younger ones as a threat because they are so small .... except when it comes to food. Most chickens don't much like to share so having food in a couple of places can help.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

This weekend what's the big day integration time . The chicks spent most of yesterday going between coop and run and for an hour or two the big girls were in there with them as well.
There is a lot of curiosity on the part of the big girls and some rude behavior on the part of some of the littles but over all things went OK. Only one of the bigs seems intent on being a jerk -she has received a couple corrective pecks from me, the big mama broody.
Today chicks have been let out again first thing to have access to the coop and run while the big girls have access to the backyard and are still able to go back-and-forth into the coop or run at will. The babies are still unaware that they can come out of the boundaries of the coop door or run door so they have been well contained. Below is a quick it's snippet of video I captured of gladys, my leghorn, checking out the babies. Of course, by the time I had my phone ready yup get a video Gladys was bored and left, lol

Seems like a pretty good start to me, just hate that I have to go to work tomorrow so the littles willl only have my lunch hour and after work to be out and about because im not 100% ready to trust everybody just yet

 

[Leigti]

Does the Cave design have an opening in the back? I think the cave design will work better for me once I get them moved outside. But I wasn’t sure if it was open in the back. Doesn’t look like it.

 

[blackdog043]

It really should be open on both ends , so they can't get trapped inside. Also if they're on top and get between the pad and wall, they could get stuck there. Chicks can get into some places we wouldn't think they could. If they'res a gap somewhere they will find it.

 

[Blooie]

Depends on your preferences. Open at the front and back wasn't appealing to me with my setup......temps are still in the teens and twenties and they are brooded outside in he run. I wanted it closed, and never had an issue with 8 batches of chicks. But if you're more comfortable having them be able to go in and out both sides, then by all means, do that. Others have had chicks get stuck back there, so I see the reasoning behind having it open.

 

[BBZZZZTT]

I'm getting kind of antsy to get these 7, 3 1/2 week olds out of my basement now. XD
Of course I do enjoy getting to go down and handle them without getting a coat on.
Shaving smell is beginning to permeate through the whole basement and you can definitely tell when someone has a cecal poop.
The basement is between 55-60°F. They still get under their cave when it's time to go to sleep (pad is on medium) but by the morning they are mostly on top.
They are getting to the point of outgrowing the cave... If all of them are under at the same time usually some are spilling out of the front or sides.
I am a newbie here so I just want to find out if anyone has any helpful advice on acclimating then to outside temps since I didn't raise them outdoors. I was thinking of starting short trips this weekend? I can bring their heating pad out during these too. Or do you think it's still too much of a temp change?
Of course I did take them from the office to the basement in one trip and that was a change in ambient temperature of about 15 degrees so maybe I'm overthinking things.

Any thoughts are appreciated. You guys are all so helpful