Need to move them out to coop at 3 weeks

[ilovechickens]

Good Morning,
I have 21 chicks that will be 3 weeks old tomorrow, they have grown out of every inside container from a tote to a kids swimming pool. I have a nice brooder set up in the coop. The weather here is crazy, one day 65, next day 32 with snow. It is to be in the 40's to low 30's the next few days. I have a few heat lamps, what do you think that their chances will be in the coop with heat lamps and a barrier. I can but blankets over the hardware cloth if I can't get the temperature regulated. What is the lowest temp that they can have? I need to move them, my basement smells bad, I change the litter regularly, but they are growing and the heat lamp heats the poop and makes it stink!!!!

 

[Chickenmaven]

You need to have an area that is at least 80F, I would say. That is the temp directly under the lamp. I would suggest that you test it out before you put them out. Set up your lamp, place a thermometer on the ground of the brooder and check it at intervals.

That said: I am with you on the "get them out" thing. I had 30 five week olds in my basement last Spring. It was vile. I work from home, the brooder was cleaned daily. The brooder was not in our living space, yet caused the entire house to smell. I am brooding in my barn this year!

 

[augustmomx2]

I live in Indiana and our weather sways quite a bit as well. We put our chicks outside @ 1.5 wks old. They had outgrown the baby pool quickly (there are 19 of them). So, my dh insulated the coop a little more, we put the pool in there and cut a little door out for them. Sunday evening was their first night and it dropped down to 34, but they were fine. I have one heat lamp & some shavings. My main concern was just to make sure it wasn't drafty & so far they have done great. No pasty butts or sickly ones (fingers crossed). Good luck!

 

[Spires6]

It should be ok with the brooder lamp. We have 28 chicks coming tomorrow and I have the brooder set up in the garage this year. Our whether will fluctuate until May. I kept last year's chicks in there for 2 weeks and then would set them outside during the day and bring them in at night. At 2 months of age they went to live in the coop. This year we are getting our chicks 2 months earlier, so I hope they do ok. The biggest reason I won't put ours out in our barn is that critters seem to get at them when I do.

 

[KellyHM]

Mine went outside last week at 1-3 weeks of age. They have a 4x5 brooder area w/ 2 heat lamps and they're fine. Granted, the weather isn't AS cold here as it is there, but if you add a couple more heat lamps they should do well.