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HowlofFenrir

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Jul 13, 2025
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Hello all! This is our third go at raising chickens (all hens) and although we've made it through two groups okay, I just feel there is always room for improvement. Our new batch are four weeks old and still in the bathtub under the lamp. A couple of: Eggers, leghorns, RI reds, and then one barred rock.
We also have a Polish but we're not sure if its a hen or rooster yet. We're in a subdivision that really doesn't allow chickens and we don't need a rooster announcing to the neighborhood, so at this point, it may or may not be here later on.
We're in East Texas so the weather is already hot, humid and miserable, so my question to the experts is: All I've been able find as far as when we can move them to the outdoors concerns the cold temps. But what about moving them from 75 degree a/c to the hot 95 plus outdoors? We have two eggers left from the previous batch and have a box fan keeping them coolish in their pen. My plan was to bring them outdoors in a kennel for an hour or so each day to get them used to the Tx weather before permanent relocation. Any thoughts? Thank you in advance!!
 
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Hello! I think your plan of acclimating them gradually is a good one. Feel free to post your questionable Polish in the Gender Forum or post pictures here (4 weeks is usually a little early to sex chickens, especially Polish, but it doesn't hurt to ask and/or post them just in case there is something glaringly obvious like a crazy rock-star crest or something.) We'd love to see pictures anyways!

Stay cool down there and welcome to BackYard Chickens!
 
Greetings & Salutations. Welcome.

I agree with the others to take them outside for an hour or two each day in the shade, or both sun and shade earlier in the day before temp hits 95. I would cover part of the top of their cage with cardboard and sometimes also used a screen on another part. Watch their behavior when outside. Also make sure they cannot get through openings in the cage.

Hoping all works well with your third try.

This is a wonderful site on which to Learn and enjoy.
We are pleased to have you in the community.
 
Welcome to BYC. I would start out by putting them out early mornings for a few hours and progressively leaving them longer for a week or so. It takes me a while to acclimate to this humidity every year so I'm sure the birds need to work up to it too.
If I were you, I'd check around for someone in the country willing to take your birds if your neighbors turn you in. It will be heartbreaking to you but it will be very stressful for the birds also. Be prepared.
 

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