My transition brooder... what am I doing wrong??!!

[chickens really]

They survive in cool temperatures if kept dry and out of wind. Not frail!

 

[tribalacres]

@TiaNicole @tribalacres

You've got some crazyyyy Ducks, lol, we have runners, rouens, Pekin, and geese and 24 chickens and no one has ever ate them, they've bit them or tried but it wasn't something of interest. I'm sorry, they've worked for us. I know it's tiring. I would get their coop set up and get them outside. They are tough cookies.

 

[TomCahalan]

Especially with temps dropping some nights. KY weather, never know what you’re going to get.

How low? I just looked at the weekly forecast for Lexington KY and it only went as low as the mid 50s. That would be a stretch for 3-week olds, but if you acclimate them (by putting them out on a night where it only drops into the low 60s), then they should be able to handle it.

Kentucky is a pretty warm state. What seems cold to you isn't necessarily cold to a bird with a high metabolism and who is literally made out of the same material that down jackets are made of.

 

[DuckyDonna]

You might also want to try putting them in an outside pen during the day where they can run around on the grass and get them used to the outside temps. I had mine outside in a little play area when they were just a couple of days old. They're only 1 week old today and they've spent the last 4 days outside all day long. I have one of those collapsible dog fences and I put cardboard all along the bottom of it and a net over the top. I gave them a little pile of hay to snuggle in, their food and water, and they've been having a ball. They also don't want a heat light at night so I took that away.

I realize I'm not as far north as you are but I really think it helps if you can get them out during the day and toughen them up.

 

[DucksOhio]

I had that same problem with my girls! They’d make a huge mess! I ended up making the brooder bigger and setting a tray under their waterter and also moving their food to the opposite side of the cage. Don’t get me wrong when I get home from work the tray under their water is completely full of water but it keeps their brooder a lot more dry! Here our my before and after brooder updates!

That’s pretty creative!

 

[mandymcg05]

You might also want to try putting them in an outside pen during the day where they can run around on the grass and get them used to the outside temps. I had mine outside in a little play area when they were just a couple of days old. They're only 1 week old today and they've spent the last 4 days outside all day long. I have one of those collapsible dog fences and I put cardboard all along the bottom of it and a net over the top. I gave them a little pile of hay to snuggle in, their food and water, and they've been having a ball. They also don't want a heat light at night so I took that away.

I realize I'm not as far north as you are but I really think it helps if you can get them out during the day and toughen them up.

That would be good. How many hours is too many? And if the sun hits them is that ok? I could maybe come home on lunch and move them in on extra hot days?!