Raising chicks without a broody

[Yard Hen Lady]

I’m getting a few chicks that are only a couple days old, and will be raising them without a broody. I’ve used a broody in the past and just let her do her thing. Now I’m not sure what to do. I live in Northern California and the night temps are in the 40s and days in the 60-70s. The chicks will be inside the house until they are integrated into my small flock.
How long do I keep the heat lamp on each day? At what age of the chicks do I stop using the heat lamp?
When do I start letting them outside in a pen and for how long each day?

 

[nuthatched]

That have to be about 90-95 degrees the first week or so, then raise the lamp so it's about 80-85 for the nest week or two. After 5 week, they should be OK to go without .

 

[rosemarythyme]

If heat lamp is the sole source of heat it needs to be on 24/7 until they're weaned off heat. Given your current temperatures, if you're aggressive about it you can have them off heat around 4 weeks (so starting at roughly 90F for week 1, drop 10 degrees a week).

Brooder needs to have a sufficiently warm area as well as cool areas for the chicks to escape the heat when they don't need it. Since you've raised chicks with a hen before you see that when chicks run under the hen to warm up, and away when they don't need heat.

With warm days and a sufficiently chick proofed/predator proofed enclosure, you can start taking them out for progressively longer periods from around 2 weeks or so.

Do you have a plan for integration already?

 

[Yard Hen Lady]

If heat lamp is the sole source of heat it needs to be on 24/7 until they're weaned off heat. Given your current temperatures, if you're aggressive about it you can have them off heat around 4 weeks (so starting at roughly 90F for week 1, drop 10 degrees a week).

Brooder needs to have a sufficiently warm area as well as cool areas for the chicks to escape the heat when they don't need it. Since you've raised chicks with a hen before you see that when chicks run under the hen to warm up, and away when they don't need heat.

With warm days and a sufficiently chick proofed/predator proofed enclosure, you can start taking them out for progressively longer periods from around 2 weeks or so.

Do you have a plan for integration already?

Thank you for the detailed response. In the house, they’ll be in a large dog crate, so room for heated and cooled area. Outside, I plan to have them in a “see but don’t touch” run, then integrating them around 4-5 weeks. I currently only have two hens who are about 1.5 yrs old. I recently lost one to a raccoon ( I was sick and forgot to close the coop), and just today I lost my older one (the one I was planning to be my broody). I have 4 chicks coming. It was so easy with a broody…I just sneaked in the chicks under my broody, after dark, and she took it from there. Thanks again for the advice.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Best of luck! Sorry about losing your broody, it certainly would've made things easier.