New Chicks

[GoneQuackers]

I'm totally new to raising chickens and new to this forum. I've been hanging out in the Duck forum. I just picked up these 2 week old chicks today.

The lady said that they're Orpingtons and that they may be blue, but she wasn't for sure on the color. Does anybody have any idea?

Also, do I need to do anything special for them besides chick starter feed, water and protection? They were only under a heat lamp for the first week. The temp here is in the upper 80's to low 90's. I will be keeping them in the house at night.

When is it safe to let them free range during the day?

 

[RonC]

You may want to provide a heat lamp for them when they are inside or at night. At two weeks they need an area about 85 degrees to warm up in. Make sure they also have a cooler area in the brooder they can cool down in.You can drop that about 5 degrees a week. Being only two of them them won't generate alot of heat huddling together. Doesn't need to be a heat lamp, an ordinary incandesent bulb will work. They are fine going outside at two weeks for outings in your temperature with supervision. Protection being the key idea. Add some chick grit to the list if they don't have access to sand or dirt whole outside. Wouldn't want anything to happen to those cuties.

 

[GoneQuackers]

You may want to provide a heat lamp for them when they are inside or at night. At two weeks they need an area about 85 degrees to warm up in. Make sure they also have a cooler area in the brooder they can cool down in.You can drop that about 5 degrees a week. Being only two of them them won't generate alot of heat huddling together. Doesn't need to be a heat lamp, an ordinary incandesent bulb will work. They are fine going outside at two weeks for outings in your temperature with supervision. Protection being the key idea. Add some chick grit to the list if they don't have access to sand or dirt whole outside. Wouldn't want anything to happen to those cuties.

Thank you. I've put a heat lamp on the brooder and am going to pick up some grit in the morning.