Moved chicks outside, worried...

[TheMrsBird]

so I moved my chicks to the coop today. We've got temps in the mid 70s during the day and about 60 at night. They are only 4 weeks old, but I also put their brooder plate in there with them. I've shown them the brooder plate and that it's nice and warm...but they're still huddled up on the opposite wall. Though that being said, they're calm (unless I go in there & aggravate them) & my thermometer says the temp in the coop is hovering around 68. Thoughts? At 72 during the day, they are active & only huddle for the occasional nap at this point & occasionally go under the brooder plate when the temps are in the 70s...so maybe they are ok. I'm just so stressed out! Unfortunately, they have outgrown their brooder faster than I thought they would & they were starting to get testy with each other...

At least I have the video baby monitor to keep an eye (& ear) on them...

 

[LikeTurkeys]

They will be fine, especially with a heat source. In fact at this point they hardly need it, which is why you don't observe them using it much.

 

[TheMrsBird]

They will be fine, especially with a heat source. In fact at this point they hardly need it, which is why you don't observe them using it much.

It's just so stressful for me to see them all in a pile...I'm terrified im going to accidentally freeze them. I also borderline panicked when I saw them spreading out and sunning...and trying to take their first dirt baths...and breathing...lol It's like I'm a first-time-mom all over again!

 

[LikeTurkeys]

It's just so stressful for me to see them all in a pile...I'm terrified im going to accidentally freeze them. I also borderline panicked when I saw them spreading out and sunning...and trying to take their first dirt baths...and breathing...lol It's like I'm a first-time-mom all over again!

Ah yes, the sunning and dust bathing. When I first started keeping chickens, what shock it was for me to see my hen half buried in dirt with what appeared to be near-death muscle spasms!

 

[Mylied]

I take heat away around 3 weeks for my chicks because that's how long my best broody raises her chicks for. They feather in faster and seem hardier that way. I do keep them in my house for 5 or 6 weeks which is in the low 70s. 4 or so weeks in the spring and summer. When they start aggravating me with their mess I add them to my silkies and they just group up with the rest at night if it's cold. My silkies don't attack them. Your experience may vary and other breeds will attack young birds. Also, young ones are scared being in a dark new place. So they will huddle and peep just from the change.

 

[TheMrsBird]

They were all enjoying the change in weather today-we've all been stuck inside with cold, rainy weather the past week. So warm & sunny was a nice change!

 

[Mylied]

They were all enjoying the change in weather today-we've all been stuck inside with cold, rainy weather the past week. So warm & sunny was a nice change!

Aww, they look so happy!

 

[rosemarythyme]

They're huddling more for comfort than anything at this point, as this is new and different for them.

Your chicks have a pretty good amount of feathers and your temperatures are pretty moderate, so they should be fine.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

It's just so stressful for me to see them all in a pile...I'm terrified im going to accidentally freeze them. I also borderline panicked when I saw them spreading out and sunning...and trying to take their first dirt baths...and breathing...lol It's like I'm a first-time-mom all over again!

Yes, you're a perfectly normal first-time chicken mom! Relax and enjoy 'em, they be fine! They're feathered enough to be comfy and I could only wish for weather like that! At their age, huddling is what they do, and that may continue for a while. Mine are over 12 weeks, look like full-grown chickens, but still like to cuddle with their flock-mates. I am encouraging them to get out of the corner, off the floor, and sleep on the roost - you know, the top bunks ,- with the big kids ... but they're reluctant, haha. They'll get there eventually, I suppose! Mine lasted in the house about 3 weeks, but we have an outdoor brooder that shares a fence wih the big girls' run. Makes integration easy-peasy! .

 

[Onyxflock]

They were all enjoying the change in weather today-we've all been stuck inside with cold, rainy weather the past week. So warm & sunny was a nice change!

How seriously cute! Brings you to a basic level when a sunny spot is the Best Thing in the whole World!