Night Temps for Baby Chicks

[Keeperoflock]

My 17 chicks will be 6 weeks old Tuesday. They are probably about 80 to 90% feathered out. Our daytime temps for the next 2 weeks are forecasted to be in the 50's and 60's. Night temps just for this week alone is anywhere from 30 to 48. I'd like to move them out on the glass enclosed sun porch in their brooder with their heat lamp of course. You'd think it had been snowing in my dining room and living room with all the dander they are spreading. As they get bigger, it's only going to get worse. I dust, mop, sweep, dust, mop, sweep, it's just about all I can take, lol. But I'll do what's best for them until the coop gets done.

The weather has prevented hubby from working on it. It was really nice these past few days so he's been able to work on it some. It's still going to be a couple weeks before it will be ready. Anyways, the sun porch is on the north side of our house and gets sun around 2pm till sunset. Is this doable? I think they need to be getting used to cooler temps.

Right now, they are without the heat lamp all day and I watch them at night. The ambient temps in the house is 72 both day and night. If I find them huddled (which does still happen from time to time) then I turn on the heat lamp.

Our weather is forecasted to remain below normal for the next 2 weeks at least. I tell you this year has been a huge roller coaster with this weather. It was in the high 70's yesterday. Come Monday, snow. Not much snow, but c'mon ma nature. I know a lot of others are dealing with this weather too. My message to Mother Nature, Get over it already!

 

[Ridgerunner]

Chicks normally sleep in a group even if they are not cold. They just like the company. At 6 weeks yours are not cold at 72 F. I've had chicks go through nights in the mid 20's F when they were younger than yours. What temperatures are occurring in that sun room?

What does your brooder look like? How big is it and how do you position the heat lamp? To me the perfect brooder keeps one end warm enough but allows the far end of the brooder to cool off to ambient temperature. My 3' x 6' brooder is in the coop, has great breeze protection and has great ventilation up high. I heat one end but let the far end cool off as it will. In winter I've seen ice on the far end. I put chicks in that brooder straight out of the incubator, even when the temperatures are well below freezing. It doesn't matter what the outside temperature is, it matters that the chicks have a warm enough area they can go to. I've found that chicks straight out of the incubator do a great job of managing the temperatures as long as they have a choice. And it is important that they can get away from the heat if it gets too warm. Give them a variety of temperatures to work with and they will manage it. That takes all the worry out of it for you.

I don't know how cold your sun room gets but I really doubt they need any heat at all out there. I'd be more worried they might overheat if they can't get away from the heat. My suggestion is to get them in that sun room today as soon as you can. If you secure it properly you can set up that heat lamp, just make sure you wire it into place and do not depend on that clamp that came with it. I don't trust those clamps. There is nothing wrong with providing them a warm place to go if they want it, but that's probably for your benefit more than theirs. I really doubt they need it in that sun room.

 

[Kaerie]

We have ours outside from about 4-5 days old. They are in 2'w x 4'l x 3'h cages with solid sides, top, and bottom, and wire mesh front/back.

Then that whole arrangement is under shelter on top and 3 sides to protect from wind. They also have a heating plate in the cage, thatis adjusted weekly for their height. At about 8 weeks old, they're usually good without the heating plate.

I figure as long as they have someplace to go to get warm, and protection from wind, they're perfectly fine.

 

[obicat]

Inside the house I take the heat away at 3 to 4 weeks. They are warm enough and feather out quickly. Then at 6 or 7 weeks they go outside.