Raising Baby Chick-Along

[orrpeople]

I am in northern WI and they have most/all of their feathering is grown, they are outside. It only gets down to 60 ish. We are going on vacation tommorrow for a week and a half so think after we get back we will take away trhe heat lamp

How do they react with the lamp? Do they huddle under it, or mostly stay away from it? My biggest concern, since you are planning to be away, is actually fire danger (depending upon who is going to be taking care of them during that time). I would try, today, turning it off and watching their body language. If they don't even notice it, you won't need it. How many chicks? Do they have a "huddle" area to keep each other warm at night? It would be great if you just had one less thing to worry about on your trip.

 

[JuliaOlivia]

Someone is coming to take care of them twice a day and we have about 20 chicks. They have a fairly big area and they just run around and play like little chicks do. At night if they don't have it they seem a little cold though.

 

[NorthTexasWink]

How do they react with the lamp? Do they huddle under it, or mostly stay away from it? My biggest concern, since you are planning to be away, is actually fire danger (depending upon who is going to be taking care of them during that time). I would try, today, turning it off and watching their body language. If they don't even notice it, you won't need it. How many chicks? Do they have a "huddle" area to keep each other warm at night? It would be great if you just had one less thing to worry about on your trip.

I was (again) thinking the same thing. Fire hazard. Any chance of making them a heat pad/seedling mat cave for while you are away @JuliaOlivia ? A huddle box might even be enough.

 

[orrpeople]

Someone is coming to take care of them twice a day and we have about 20 chicks. They have a fairly big area and they just run around and play like little chicks do. At night if they don't have it they seem a little cold though.

Hmmm. A couple of things may be at work here. I will tell you my own experiences, but ultimately they are your babies, and we kind of have an unwritten rule around here "my chicks, my choice".
I recently put about 26 three-week old chicks outside. They have wing feathers, but that's about it. Our temps range from about 65 degrees at night to super hot (sometimes in the one hundred teens) during the day. I knew it was a little early, but it's just not very cold outside, and my broodies have both raised downy chicks in much colder weather. Okay, that said, the first night, when I was putting everybody to bed, they cried and cried! (About made my heart break!) So, I put my hand in their "chick pile" and it was super cozy and warm. There was no possibility they were crying because it was cold (it was probably still 85 or 90 at 9pm). The real problem was they were used to the house where it doesn't ever get really dark. So, I waited it out with them, and once it was completely dark, instinct took over and they were asleep and silent. In the morning they were be-bopping around like they'd been there forever. They've been out now for almost a week, and every night there's a little less "we might be dying here!" chatter from them.

 

[Jessimom]

I had my chicks in the master bathroom. I'm the only one that uses that room, so it was the least troublesome for everyone else. That room gets pretty dark, and I have heat plates, not heat lamps. I would feed and water them when I got home from work, so the window gave light most of the day, then I turned a light on before it got totally dark. As I would go to bed, I'd turn off that light and you'd think I killed them. They would get hysterical. They were afraid of the dark!! I ended up having to put in a night light for about a week, then I weaned them off of that. And the dark doesn't seem to bother them anymore.

 

[orrpeople]

I had my chicks in the master bathroom. I'm the only one that uses that room, so it was the least troublesome for everyone else. That room gets pretty dark, and I have heat plates, not heat lamps. I would feed and water them when I got home from work, so the window gave light most of the day, then I turned a light on before it got totally dark. As I would go to bed, I'd turn off that light and you'd think I killed them. They would get hysterical. They were afraid of the dark!! I ended up having to put in a night light for about a week, then I weaned them off of that. And the dark doesn't seem to bother them anymore.

They really can create quite the "I am definitely facing death here!!" cries- funny little things! (Love the night light idea!)

 

[calichicken]

Boy! I wish I had seen this thread last month!!! What a great idea!!!! Mind if I tag along?

My girls are 10 weeks old now! I am enjoying the stories and pics!!! I just have a pair of bantam cochins and they are indoor babies Yes...we are house chicken people at this point!

We will have a backyard flock again, but getting the coop up just wasn't in the cards yet! Life happens!!! We live up in the mountains and super important up here that we have a good coop structure! When we moved up here we had just one hen , so she was an indoor girl. Sadly, we lost our girl in January We love having them inside. They are starting their outdoor supervised adventures and have learned the amazing activity of dusting now! So fun to watch them explore the world!!! Here are our girls...Fiona and Sydney

 

[NorthTexasWink]

Hi @calichicken ! Pretty babies! Welcome to the thread!

I gave my little biddies sod for the first time today. I sprinkled a tiny bit of additional chick grit on it, just in case. They rather predictably loved it, once they all got over the 'frady chicken phase. such noises! Now they are once again making those sweet contented sounds as they take turns scratching and pecking, with occasional excited peeping calls as one grabs a bit and starts a game of chase. So cute!

Here's some pics I just took. Hatch date for them is June 27-28. The one poopy butt isn't blocking her vent, and she's the only one that has it. She's also the only one of that hybrid layer mix that I got to fill out my quarter box of 25. Coincidence? I think not. She seems every bit as healthy and thriving as the other 24, so guess it's all good. And she's going to be a pretty hen judging by her feathers thus far.

 

[rjohns39]

Someone is coming to take care of them twice a day and we have about 20 chicks. They have a fairly big area and they just run around and play like little chicks do. At night if they don't have it they seem a little cold though.

Just my two cents. Mine routinely go to pasture at 3 weeks.

 

[calichicken]

Thanks @NorthTexasWink ! Isn't it funny how they get so excited about new things? SUPER suspicious until they know it's a good thing! Then can't get enough! adorable babies!!!!