Raising chicks in HOT Humid Climate

[sunnysideoflife8]

Hello from The Florida Keys! Our four baby chicks arrive in a few days. I've raised chicks in the Carolinas before, where you start the chicks indoors under a heat lamp and decrease the heat every week or so until it's room temperature. But it's quite different here, it's VERY hot and humid. It's about 95° with a heat index of 110° due to humidity. if I start the chicks indoors under a heat lamp, it doesn't make much sense to walk them down to 75° and then put them outside in the coop when it's 100° plus outside. WHAT TO DO??

I'm a little worried about them overheating, but in the lower Florida Keys, we have tons of wild chickens everywhere. My husband says if they can survive the heat, then so can ours, but I'm concerned.

Should I just start them outside in the shed rather than in the house? Does anyone have any help or advice for raising chickens in the tropics?

thanks in advance!

 

[Brooks_]

Hi @sunnysideoflife8, north central FLA here, so a little different. I started some chicks in late May one year in a shed using an incandescent light for heat. A couple would stay under, a couple away, most would hang around the edge of the light. When they were feathered enough to not need heat, I turned it off. I think just giving them a warm area and a cool area letting them choose works well in hot climate areas. Hope this helps.

 

[jmac11]

I'm wondering the same thing. My 12 week and 17 week old chickens are acclimated to our hot, humid weather. We had a heat index of 114 last Tuesday. I also have 4 1/2 week old chicks that I need to move outside but I don't know how hot is too hot for them at this age.

 

[mcdze]

im in fl, and they need a brooder with stable temps and no draft for about 10-14 days in hot weather .. then theyre ok in an outside cage covered or blocked from draft at night or bad weather ..

 

[sunnysideoflife8]

I'm wondering the same thing. My 12 week and 17 week old chickens are acclimated to our hot, humid weather. We had a heat index of 114 last Tuesday. I also have 4 1/2 week old chicks that I need to move outside but I don't know how hot is too hot for them at this age.

I hear ya. we had 112 heat index yesterday - I started to get concerned about how the chicks will fair. would love to know how yours acclimate when you do decide to put them outside. Did you start them indoors under a heat lamp?

 

[jmac11]

Yes, I started my chicks inside in the utility room. I took them outside yesterday for 4 hours, and they just loved it. I had them out for 7 hours today but brought them in before 3:00 because I didn't want to overdo a good thing. The heat index was 103. They seemed perfectly content and did not appear hot or stressed. I'm just afraid to push it.

 

[RivaltKennels]

Hello from The Florida Keys! Our four baby chicks arrive in a few days. I've raised chicks in the Carolinas before, where you start the chicks indoors under a heat lamp and decrease the heat every week or so until it's room temperature. But it's quite different here, it's VERY hot and humid. It's about 95° with a heat index of 110° due to humidity. if I start the chicks indoors under a heat lamp, it doesn't make much sense to walk them down to 75° and then put them outside in the coop when it's 100° plus outside. WHAT TO DO??

I'm a little worried about them overheating, but in the lower Florida Keys, we have tons of wild chickens everywhere. My husband says if they can survive the heat, then so can ours, but I'm concerned.

Should I just start them outside in the shed rather than in the house? Does anyone have any help or advice for raising chickens in the tropics?

thanks in advance!

Bay area of Florida here. Just got my chicks July 11th, and had them under a heat pad I use for my puppies, just propped up like a tent. We're into the second week and I shut it off, because they stopped using it on their own. The 70-80 degree temperature in my house seems to agree with them just fine and they are thriving, which is actually surprisingly similar to my litters of puppies in the summer. As long as they are totally safe from predators, I don't see being outside a problem here. I can't wait to get them outside myself, they're cute, but messy, however, I can't guarantee they would be totally safe yet, as I don't have a shed, just a coop. They don't have enough feathers to stay dry if it rained a bit.