OK to move 3 week olds out?

[amynrichie]

I have 31 chicks in a 3 x 4 foot brooder box in my basement. This box is bursting at the seams! They are jumping around and flapping their wings, and there is just not enough room.

I have an uninsulated 8 x 12 coop with no other chickens in it. I was initially planning on moving the biggest, most feathered birds out to the coop with a heat lamp tomorrow. Now, I am considering moving them all out.

Our days are warming up, but the nights still get down in to the upper 20's and 30's. We just finished up a COLD snap here in Nebraska, and I'm hoping that's the last one!

My question is this: Would it be ok to move ALL the chicks out, or should I keep the fuzzy ones in for another week or so?

I have the heat lamp raised on them now, and it is only about 72 degrees in the brooder box. They seem comfortable enough with that. No piling up.


Here is a current picture:




Thanks!
Amy

 

[RoxyBird]

I would invest in something like this at the hardware store: http://www.homedepot.com/p/AcuRite-Wireless-Digital-Thermometer-00822HDSBA3/100654926#.UVVH7b-n1m0

See how cold it gets out there at night with a heat lamp on before you move chicks out. It might depend on airflow. I wouldn't move them out if it's much colder than the basement- not until they are fully feathered.

Regarding moving the biggest birds- the more birds, the more warmth they generate/more of them to pile up. So... there's another factor. I'd almost say all or nothing in that respect...

I mean personally, I'd throw some tree limbs in there to give them some more depth for jumping/climbing roosting (environmental enrichment, if you will) and let them chill indoors another week.

Alternatively- can you somehow partition the coop at night so that the heat is being maintained in a smaller area? Or, add more lamps?

Just some ideas- the tree branch thing helps me stay sane during week 4-5, before I move them out... to an extent. lol

 

[amynrichie]

I'm just worried about overcrowding. They have *some* room to walk around, but are constantly stepping on each other.

I do have a digital thermometer that I can use to check the coop temps. I was thinking of hanging the heat lamps closer to the floor, like maybe 18 inches. I have two, both have 250 watt bulbs in them.

 

[RoxyBird]

Does the brooder have a lot of vertical space? If you can suspend a few branches or pieces of wood (maybe 1x1's) across the brooder above walking height (maybe 6"-10") you can make better use of the vertical space and they won't be walking all over each other. Maybe prop a few up on bricks or blocks of wood, high enough to walk under?

They love to perch, so that'll get them off the floor and there will be fewer down there to trip over each other. That's what I do when I'm stretching space due to chicks growing faster than expected or whatnot.

Or maybe put them outside during the day and bring them in at night? That sounds like a pain though...

 

[amynrichie]

I did it, I moved them out. They went out on Friday. The lowest temp we have had so far was 28 F. With the two heat lamps 24 inches off the floor, they have been just fine. No frozen water, and chicks are HAPPY with all of their space. I was nervous, but they seem to be doing well.

 

[RoxyBird]

Awesome! I'm glad it's working out! Good to know too- I have a friend who is wanting to do the same thing. Did you just put them all out there? Surely they can pile up if they get cold...

 

[amynrichie]

I did decide to move all of them. They pile up a bit when they are ready to sleep under the light. Otherwise, they are happy running around, scratching, and practicing flying.

 

[skookumchuck]

Sounds great I just moved mine out and it is going to get into the high 20's tonight. I have the single heat lamp about 18" off of the floor and they can get about 12" away if they jump up on the perch.

 

[amynrichie]

mine have a perch made of 2x4's set on the floor. So far, it's cold enough at night that they prefer to snuggle. They roost more in the daytime when the coop is warmer.

 

[skookumchuck]

Mine all look good this morning I was kinda nervous last night. They all layed down in the shavings under the light not piled on each other but together so I am happy they are happy.