New Chickens-Texas

[BlessedLucFarm4]

I never raised chicks before and I just purchased 10 pullets (5 barred rocks/5 rhode island reds) I them in a medium rectangular bin with a water bucket, there food and a heating lamp. I think they are 2 weeks old, and I just got them wednesday and where we have them the do fly to the edge of the bin, and yesterday a few of them got out and flew back in. We are in the process of building their coop before its time for them to go outside.

My questions are:

when do I let them outside?
now that we are in the fall how will they do when it gets cold or even snow?
How will i know if there feather got thicker? Do they grow fast, where it is visible?
I bought a 5lb feed from the store, is there an organic feed that I can give them?
What a fruits/vegetable scraps?
In the winter do their coop need to be insulated or what can I do to be sure that they are warm, when its cold/snow?

 

[artfrae]

i'm new to raising chickens as well, but I'll share with you the little knowledge I have:

The rule of thumb with the heating lamp, during the first week you keep them at a temp of 95, week 2 is 90, week 3 is 85, week 4 is 80. So you just decrease the temp by 5 degrees every week. Depending where in Texas you live (I'm from the valley), and what temperature it is outside will depend when you let them out. For the coop, you could just hang a heating lamp in there and I think they should be fine.

Normally at about a month old they can be outside. from what I can see with my chicks is that they're nearly feathered by weeks 4-6. If I were you, I'd just keep the heating lamp in the coop, and keep an eye on them. If they're at the edge of the coop, they're too hot. If they're near the lamp, they're cold. So just keep an eye on them. They'll let you know if they're cold or hot.

 

[Wyandottes7]

I never raised chicks before and I just purchased 10 pullets (5 barred rocks/5 rhode island reds) I them in a medium rectangular bin with a water bucket, there food and a heating lamp. I think they are 2 weeks old, and I just got them wednesday and where we have them the do fly to the edge of the bin, and yesterday a few of them got out and flew back in. We are in the process of building their coop before its time for them to go outside.

My questions are:

when do I let them outside? You can let them out for short periods of time as soon as they are about two weeks old. Don't let them outside at first unless it is at least 75 degrees and not windy. Until they are fully feathered, only let them be outside for fifteen minutes or so, and take them back inside if they start to act cold. by the time they are eight weeks old, they should be able to live outside in a coop.
now that we are in the fall how will they do when it gets cold or even snow?
Barred Rocks and Rhode Island Reds are hardy breeds. They should be fine in the winter. To help them, though, keep their coop full of deep bedding. If they have a run, cut down on the wind chill by putting sheet plastic on a couple of the sides.
How will i know if there feather got thicker? Do they grow fast, where it is visible?
They should be feathered out enough at eight weeks. At this age, they won't have all of their adult feathers, but will be feathered out enough to survive in colder temperatures.
I bought a 5lb feed from the store, is there an organic feed that I can give them?
I'm not sure, as I don't feed my chickens organic feed.
What a fruits/vegetable scraps?
Fruits and vegatable scraps are just scraps from eating fruits and vegatables, like apple cores. You can give them scraps from apples, pears, grapes, and other types of fruit. Chickens like tomatoes, cucumbers, and vegatables as well. You can feed them other scraps like bread crusts, too. Just don't give them too many treats each day--you want them to eat their chicken feed!
In the winter do their coop need to be insulated or what can I do to be sure that they are warm, when its cold/snow?
Most chickens do fine in an unisulated coop. They are usually quite hardy.

 

[BantamLover21]

I never raised chicks before and I just purchased 10 pullets (5 barred rocks/5 rhode island reds) I them in a medium rectangular bin with a water bucket, there food and a heating lamp. I think they are 2 weeks old, and I just got them wednesday and where we have them the do fly to the edge of the bin, and yesterday a few of them got out and flew back in. We are in the process of building their coop before its time for them to go outside.

My questions are:

when do I let them outside? You can usually let chicks outside when they are about 6-8 weeks old. If its warmer, they can go out sooner, or if its cold (under 50 degrees), I would wait until they are 10-12 weeks old.
now that we are in the fall how will they do when it gets cold or even snow? Chickens are great at surviving cold temperatures as long as they have a relatively draft free coop with good ventilation. Your 10 birds should be able to snuggle together for warmth, if necessary, and will be fine even on cold nights. Remember, chickens have their own built-in down blanket!
How will i know if there feather got thicker? Do they grow fast, where it is visible?If you are talking about them feathering in, the growth of the feathers will be obvious. Their fluff will fall out, and you'll see small pin-like projections from their skin--those are growing feathers. Once they are all feathered in, they'll have a thicker, more firm feel to them.
I bought a 5lb feed from the store, is there an organic feed that I can give them?I know there is such a thing as organic chicken feed, but have yet to find a source for it.
What a fruits/vegetable scraps? You can start giving them easy-to-eat scraps once they reach about 6-8 weeks of age (the same time that they can go outside). Good choices include melon rinds, strawberries, tomatoes, corn on the cob, lettuce, spinach, swiss chard, carrot tops, and more. Some foods to avoid include avocados, coffee, chocolate, raw potato skins, and rotten fruits/vegetables.
In the winter do their coop need to be insulated or what can I do to be sure that they are warm, when its cold/snow? Some people insulate, and others don't. One of my chicken coops is insulated; the other one is not. If you're trying to keep the temperature in the coop above freezing (like when you're collecting eggs for breeding and don't want the eggs to freeze), insulation is helpful in regulating the temperature. But even if the temperature gets below 0, in most cases, chickens will be fine. On cold nights, you can put some Vaseline on their combs to help prevent frostbite. If you have a wire run, then you can also attach plastic to the run, or put straw bales around the run to keep the wind off.

 

[BlessedLucFarm4]

Thank you all for your responses and i will take it to note. It has helped me alot with this week carring for my chicks. I was nervous at first but with your responses I feel confident that i can do this. thanks again. I will post some updated pics in a couple of weeks so you can see how w/they are doing. Thanks again, I'm glad I joined this site.