Newbie Q1: Preparing chicks for the Texas heat?

[jettchickens]

Backstory: My rising 7th grader has been after me to raise chickens for years. Thought he'd grown out of it after we had a -0-% hatch rate for a science project last year. Beginning of the summer I sat a pile of novels in front of him and said he could have whatever he wanted (within reason) when he'd read them all and written a brief review. He did it, and he chose chickens. Went to Callahans here in Austin. They get all their birds from Ideal up near Waco. Ended up with four Barred Rocks, three Black Sexlink, three New Hampshire Reds, and three Danish Brown Leghorns. While 13 chickens might be considered a hard-start, I was anticipating a high mortality rate after our experience with trying to hatch eggs. As of ten minutes ago all 13 are still thriving, eating and drinking like there is no tomorrow.

My questions/concerns: Currently our chicks are indoors in a brooder/plastic-tub with a heat lamp. Temp in the brooder is around 85. Seems to be the perfect temp judging from the chicks movement. The chicks are now all 15 days old. Figuring they'll head outside in 3-4 weeks. Daytime highs in late August in Austin, Texas will undoubtedly hover near triple digits. The coop is in a shaded area. Still ... if the only thing they've known is central air conditioning I am plenty concerned that we'll have a massive die-off the day we put them out.

Are my concerns unwarranted? Aside from providing lots of water is their anything that can help?

Thanks.

 

[sourland]

Welcome to BYC. Provide shade, lots of fresh cool water and keep an eye on them and be ready to intercede if they appear to be excessively overheated.. I think that they will be OK.

 

[redsoxs]

Greetings from Kansas and

! Great to have you with us! What sourland said is great advice. I also like to wet down the dirt in the shaded part of their run - they dig down and wallow in the cool earth. Some folks also hook misters onto the garden hose. Some chickens are okay with this, others are afraid. Good luck to you!

 

[Araucana16]

They should be okay, but keep an eye on them. If you are worried, you can give them frozen water, ice water, a small wading pool, just enough for a few of them to lie in if you like, and a muddy area or box for them to roll in.

 

[Mr MKK FARMS]

Welcome to BYC! Glad you joined us!

 

[drumstick diva]

shade , shade and more shade, natural or manufactured like shade cloth. When they are ready to go out you can get them acclimated by limiting their exposure and gradually increasing it. For instance maybe half an hour (early morning) and then moving up some every day

 

[BantamFan4Life]

 

[liz9910]

Welcome to BYC! The other posters have given you good advice!