So it's to cold for the chicks...

[darin367]

1 of my hens hatched 5 chicks christmas day... Well today, 2 days later, she's got them outside in lower 40's degree weather, feels alot colder with the wind..... I started letting the hens take care of things a few years ago.. This is the 2nd year in a row we've had a christmas time hatch.. I don't know why 1 of my hens gets broody the first week in december.. Last year it was a different hen... After watching chicks run around in 30-45 degree temps for the last 2 years, I'm convinced that many of the problems (pasty butt, lethargic, etc..) with chicks are caused by them being way to warm.... Last year it kind of worried me seeing them out in the cold, but they feathered out way faster, and I didn't have the integration issues I've had in the past when using a brooder... If at all possible, let your hens take care of your chicks....

 

[DavidKerk]

I wish my hens would go broody and go through with it! The first time I had a broody (my Black Australorp), she got the eggs pretty far along (I'd say about 17 days), and then got kicked out of the nest by other hens. I ended up selling the eggs on accident to someone, but, fortunately, they took it well and treated it like a little science lesson. The second time I had a broody (my Old English Game Bantam), she decided to sneak out of the coop and have a private nest, a decision I was completely ok with. Unfortunately, I found her too late. She quite sitting on the eggs at around 16 or 17 days.

 

[donrae]

1 of my hens hatched 5 chicks christmas day... Well today, 2 days later, she's got them outside in lower 40's degree weather, feels alot colder with the wind..... I started letting the hens take care of things a few years ago.. This is the 2nd year in a row we've had a christmas time hatch.. I don't know why 1 of my hens gets broody the first week in december.. Last year it was a different hen... After watching chicks run around in 30-45 degree temps for the last 2 years, I'm convinced that many of the problems (pasty butt, lethargic, etc..) with chicks are caused by them being way to warm.... Last year it kind of worried me seeing them out in the cold, but they feathered out way faster, and I didn't have the integration issues I've had in the past when using a brooder... If at all possible, let your hens take care of your chicks....

Amen!

So, so many posts in the spring with folks cooking their new little nuggets in a brooder. Or afraid to put the chicks out in 60degree weather. I wish more folks could experience broody hens raising chicks and see the littles are so much tougher than we give them credit for!

 

[DavidKerk]

Amen!

So, so many posts in the spring with folks cooking their new little nuggets in a brooder. Or afraid to put the chicks out in 60degree weather. I wish more folks could experience broody hens raising chicks and see the littles are so much tougher than we give them credit for!

Yes! I think it makes for tougher chickens in the long run!

 

[RockNSuccess]

Yes! I think it makes for tougher chickens in the long run!

I feel so much better now! I had a couple of 4 week old chicks that I put outside with the rest. This was in November. We had some really cold weather for us, (below freezing at night) and I was a little concerned because they weren't fully feathered out. However, the older chickens kept them warm and they did just fine. Finished feathering out really quickly and are thriving. I think sometimes we worry too much about our animals instead of letting them do as God intended. Kind of like putting horses in blankets because we are cold or putting them in a barn because it is raining.

 

[DavidKerk]

I feel so much better now! I had a couple of 4 week old chicks that I put outside with the rest. This was in November. We had some really cold weather for us, (below freezing at night) and I was a little concerned because they weren't fully feathered out. However, the older chickens kept them warm and they did just fine. Finished feathering out really quickly and are thriving. I think sometimes we worry too much about our animals instead of letting them do as God intended. Kind of like putting horses in blankets because we are cold or putting them in a barn because it is raining.

I completely agree! God created animals to be in the elements. You're right, I feel like people tend to coddle their chickens because the owner is cold or warm, etc.

 

[RockNSuccess]

I completely agree! God created animals to be in the elements. You're right, I feel like people tend to coddle their chickens because the owner is cold or warm, etc.  

Exactly! I am cold, so clearly they must be too!

 

[DavidKerk]

Yup!

I forget that they have a full feather coat on!

 

[BarnChickyOO]

my broody hatched chicks when it was 7 below!

the chicks are really alot hardier than we expect them to be, and mama hen always knows what she's doing.
they will be just fine.

also, what a great christmas gift!

 

[gander007]

First congratulations on your Christmas Hatches way to go

You are right it is much better to let momma to take care of them if she never read a book on the care of chicks

gander007