new and confused...inside or out?

[iadoremy4]

Good Evening all!

I've spent the better part of the last hour or so perusing the topics and getting all kinds of great info!

Here is my question. I bought my first ever chicks today. They are 3 weeks old (frizzle's and a silkie). I picked them up from a farm outside of town. They had them outside in a run with about 20 other chicks. I asked if they had them in the brooder anymore and they said that they didn't need to be. They have their feathers. I put them in our outdoor run tonight with the heat lamp at one end. I just didn't feel right - like maybe they are too cold so I brought them in and put them in a dog kennel turned brooder with a heat lamp. So, what's the deal? Can I keep them outside in the run with the lamp on one end? It's about 50-60 degrees overnight here and between 70-90 during the day.

Also, do I have to have the pine shavings for them in the run?

Thank you so much for any help you can offer. I really appreciate it. You are all so smart about this stuff. I can tell I'm going to learn a lot from you!

 

[fowler_chick]

i kept mne in the brooder untill they were about 8 weeks of age some people will keep them in there for long or shorter times

 

[cw]

now to the rat killin,
do they have all there feathers?
if so they are fine a matter a fact the temps you say yall are havin is perfect for them if they are feathered. but i 3 weeks i dont think so pics would be best
if they do get cold can they find and get close enough to th e lamp?

 

[Akane]

I just lost a 3 week old cause I thought they would be fine outside. They probably didn't have problems because of the number of chicks they had. More chicks = more heat. With fewer chicks they will need supplemental heat. You should be able to keep them inside without heat provided you don't keep your house excessively cold. I wouldn't put them outside without a heat lamp though. 60 is too cold and 70 is borderline. The standard suggested temp at the start of 3weeks old would be 80F and 70-75F by 4weeks.

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

i had a couple silkies i kept inside until they were laying eggs. Then my husband started complaining about the noise. BUT, for most normal people, you generally keep them inside for about four weeks, maybe six to eight weeks if they are fragile bantams.

At three weeks, i would keep them inside for at least another week. Then maybe put them outside during the day for a couple weeks, bringing them inside at night. You don't need pine shavings for them in the run. They need to experience the dirt, for those all important dirt baths. i suggest you feed them a medicated chick starter to prevent coccidiosis.

In the end, it's really up to you and your personal observations about your babies. You said having them outside didn't feel right, so you obviously have an intuition and empathy for them. Listen to your feelings and don't put them outside until you feel okay about it. They are your babies now and you get to decide how to best raise them.

BTW

 

[cmom]

Do you have a brooder or somewhere where you can put them at night with some heat. at 3 weeks old They should be able to handle low temps around 75 degrees. During the day they probably don't need any additional heat but probably do at night for another week or two. Here is a picture of my setup. I have a coop for my chicks and I put their brooder in their coop.

 

[iadoremy4]

Oh, thank you all so much! What an amazing site. I was worried about them all night. I did keep them in and with a lamp. So, maybe I over did it?? I'll keep them inside with no lamp and then in a few weeks maybe I'll put them in the run and build a little brooder in the corner with the lamp in case they want it.

Another concern I have is a neighbors cat who seems to have taken a coincidental interest in our yard since we got them yesterday. I'm sure it hears their sweet little chirps. I have a german shepherd dog who we've kept from the chicks, but I'm thinking about supervising some visits to see how she does because no cat, squirrel or anything else will come in this yard if she's out of her run. I've just never seen her with a bird of any kind so I don't know. The run is safe for the chicks, but the cat would scare them to death if she was milling around outside their little space.

I'm sure I'll be back with questions. Your pictures are beautiful! Thank you Thank you Thank you!!