Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[gilavina]

When you say your chicks are outside what do you mean.... how old are they? Do you have an outdoor brooder with heat? Inquiring minds....

haha...no heat. they are three weeks old and are feathered in...and the temps for the next week are between the upper 70's and lower 80's and staying higher during the night...so out they go! I have an old double rabbit hutch with little buildings attached at the back and shut them back there during the night. I've used that hutch since I was a kid and it keeps chicks plenty warm once they get their feathering. It was hilarious watching the chicks getting so excited about basking in the sun today when I got home from work

 

[DMRippy]

haha...no heat. they are three weeks old and are feathered in...and the temps for the next week are between the upper 70's and lower 80's and staying higher during the night...so out they go! I have an old double rabbit hutch with little buildings attached at the back and shut them back there during the night. I've used that hutch since I was a kid and it keeps chicks plenty warm once they get their feathering. It was hilarious watching the chicks getting so excited about basking in the sun today when I got home from work

Would you bring them in if there is a cold snap? Or would they be ok? I am going to like Spring hatches much better than the fall hatches... I need more small cages

Just when I though I was going to stop building stuff...

 

[Cadeau]

I use a rabbit hutch as my first outside house for the chicks, as well!

We're getting 60s in the daytime and 30s at night and LOVING IT!!

I can't imagine what your summer temps are, if you're already getting 70s and 80s

 

[DMRippy]

This is a fluke... not usually this warm here either. 15-20 higher than normal.... I hope that is not a sign of the summer too....

that would mean... 110 in the shade.... It is going to be in the 80's here. The AC is on in the house and I will have to NOT wear sweat pants tomorrow.... they call them that for a reason....

 

[gilavina]

Would you bring them in if there is a cold snap? Or would they be ok? I am going to like Spring hatches much better than the fall hatches... I need more small cages

Just when I though I was going to stop building stuff...

I usually will put chicks out when they have most of their feathering during a run of a few warmer days. They regulate their body temps a bit easier and with the little building at the back...I can shut the little pop door if it gets terribly cold, but they are pretty sturdy little things and can adapt pretty well. They do have a pile of shavings to snuggle up together in.

 

[Christie Rhae]

I am kicking my big batch of shipped marans babies outdoors next sunday. They will be 3 weeks old and I just cannot stand chicks indoors after 3 weeks. Our lows are 50 and average highs is probably 75. I am going to put a regular light bulb in the outdoor pen at night for a week or so to make sure they can handle. With 18 chicks I figure if it gets too chilly for them they can just huddle. lol

 

[gilavina]

I use a rabbit hutch as my first outside house for the chicks, as well!

We're getting 60s in the daytime and 30s at night and LOVING IT!!

I can't imagine what your summer temps are, if you're already getting 70s and 80s

yeah...we were talking about it at work today...hoping we don't get extreme temps because of what we already have now. It does get pretty hot and humid here.... its not uncommon to go over 100 and have 70% or more humidity. Its stifling. Normally this time of year we are still getting snow and in the 20s to 40s average.

 

[DMRippy]

Sooooo my two month olds don't need a light anymore and neither do my other little ones.... hum.... summer will save us money too....

They will be cut off tomorrow..... cuz that room was HOT today....

 

[Cadeau]

Hmm...maybe I need to move to Hawaii!
My perfect weather would be 65 daytimes, 45-50 at night!!

but NO HUMIDITY due to some major health problems...

 

[gilavina]

Sooooo my two month olds don't need a light anymore and neither do my other little ones.... hum.... summer will save us money too....

They will be cut off tomorrow..... cuz that room was HOT today....

haha...yeah. My chicks are lucky if they get lights past 3 weeks....the bantams I let go a bit longer just due to their size and usually I do smaller hatches...but in the later spring, they are on their own after they start getting pretty active.