Moving my meaties outside

[EngeFamilyFarms]

we Have 25 2 week old meaties and 5 one week old meaties. They are getting big fast and running out of room in the brooder. I have a couple questions for you more experienced chicken handlers!

1. When can I take my chickens heat light away? They are getting big and starting to feather out, but I’m worried about the younger chicks. I’m slowly moving the light higher from the brooder.

2. When can I move my chicks outside? We live in mi and lately the highs have been anywhere from 70-upper 80’s with the coldest mornings being in the upper 50’s. I have converted a 10ft x 10ft x 6ft high outdoor dog kennel that I have converted into a chicken tractor with barn steel on two sides and for the roof and wheels for easy moving every day or so. Thank you for the advice!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I'm getting ready to move some chicks out that are similar ages. I'll probably do so in the middle of this week. It is in the low 90s for a high and 60s-70s at night. If you don't have a means of providing heat in the building and you need space, I'd probably start with 20 of the big ones this week. That will be enough birds to huddle and keep each other warm and provide enough space to allow the younger ones and the other 5 two week olds to put on more size.

 

[snow5164]

What I’ve done when the meaties horrible poop is getting to me

Is I put a cardboard box with a exit hole at the front and side ( always have 2 openings), it’s called huddle box you want it to be not much bigger then the little birds...they can hide and get warm in there . I put in a small towel, but shavings would work

I put my meaties out 75% feathered out their necks were still fluffy ..

 

[EngeFamilyFarms]

I'm getting ready to move some chicks out that are similar ages. I'll probably do so in the middle of this week. It is in the low 90s for a high and 60s-70s at night. If you don't have a means of providing heat in the building and you need space, I'd probably start with 20 of the big ones this week. That will be enough birds to huddle and keep each other warm and provide enough space to allow the younger ones and the other 5 two week olds to put on more size.

Thank you for the advice. I took the light away for a while today(high of 85) and they were fine for about an hour then they started to huddle. After seeing this, I am moving the turkey tractor to our pole barn for another week and will reduce the heat a bit every day and then try moving them out next weekend!

 

[EngeFamilyFarms]

What I’ve done when the meaties horrible poop is getting to me

Is I put a cardboard box with a exit hole at the front and side ( always have 2 openings), it’s called huddle box you want it to be not much bigger then the little birds...they can hide and get warm in there . I put in a small towel, but shavings would work

I put my meaties out 75% feathered out their necks were still fluffy ..

That’s a great idea! Do you run a heat lamp to the tractor as well?

 

[snow5164]

Nope no heat out there , we have wooden huddle boxes ,

This summer we ran a cord for a fan so out morbidly overweight grazers wouldn’t pass out we needed 3 x100 foot cords !!!

 

[alexa009]

I would simply leave the heat lamp off during the daytime and turn it back on at night if you could possibly extend your electric cord. If not, I would keep them in a insulated little coop or box to keep them warm at night if you see them huddling together. Meat chickens are big and the meat that they carry should help insulated their body and keep them warm at night without a heat lamp.