The Evolution of Atlas: A Breeding (and Chat) Thread

[getaclue]

I guess I don't know very much. A woman says her temps are now 30 degrees outside. She got her first batch of chicks (store bought) about 3 weeks ago. No hens, no other chickens. She asked if they were ready for her to put in the coop. I explained that the rule of thumb tends to be starting them between 85-90 degrees for week 1, and decreasing by 5 degrees each week, until they can handle 70 degrees, at which time, wean them off the daytime heat, then the night time heat, and they will do fine in the cold the rest of their lives. A bunch of people corrected me, letting me know that 3 weeks in the brooder was long enough, and they could withstand 30 degree temps. easily.

I live in Florida, so we don't have extreme cold, but I still don't toss mine outside after only 3 weeks in the brooder. According to some, I've been doing it all wrong, all these years.

 

[speckledhen]

@getaclue Cheryl, they are plain wrong. Chicks that are fully feathered may be okay, but a fully feathered chick at 3 weeks is not going to happen. They'll pile on top of each other and smother. Even my Brahmas with feathered legs are not ready for 30* at 3-4 weeks because the males are still bare on their stomachs and backs-no way that "fuzz" will keep them warm enough. Maybe at 50-60*, but not at below freezing.

 

[1muttsfan]

Not to mention how unkind it is.

 

[speckledhen]

Not to mention how unkind it is.

Yes, where is the empathy for living creatures shivering in the cold, especially babies? Their bodies don't have the mass to offset the lack of full feathering, either. Even when I have a full blown molt in a hen, as in full on nakeditity (yes, that's a word, LOL), I may give her a heat spot until she gets some feathers.

 

[getaclue]

I really do try to impart good information on the threads. I hate it when a few people that don't know much, try sounding like experts, and give bad information, and override the good information I've given.

 

[getaclue]

Thank you!

 

[speckledhen]

Yeah, happens all the time, doesn't it? It's worse when people don't know me and have no idea that I do know what I'm talking about. At least here on BYC, a large number of folks know who I am, that I have experience. On other places, other groups like on a Facebook homesteading or chicken group, they'd have no idea who I am. So, they listen to whomever answers them.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I guess I don't know very much. A woman says her temps are now 30 degrees outside. She got her first batch of chicks (store bought) about 3 weeks ago. No hens, no other chickens. She asked if they were ready for her to put in the coop. I explained that the rule of thumb tends to be starting them between 85-90 degrees for week 1, and decreasing by 5 degrees each week, until they can handle 70 degrees, at which time, wean them off the daytime heat, then the night time heat, and they will do fine in the cold the rest of their lives. A bunch of people corrected me, letting me know that 3 weeks in the brooder was long enough, and they could withstand 30 degree temps. easily.

I live in Florida, so we don't have extreme cold, but I still don't toss mine outside after only 3 weeks in the brooder. According to some, I've been doing it all wrong, all these years.

That's is crazy advice, your advice is correct. Mine go out at early as 4 weeks, but it's the beginning of July. Those poor chicks will chill.

 

[getaclue]

It sounds like she undersized her brooder for the number of chicks, and now that they're getting bigger, they're cramped, making dust, and smell, so she's ready for them to go out.

Depending on how many I hatch out, I start with one brooder, but have the others waiting, so I can split them up as they grow. I have larger dog cages, that I use when they get a bit larger, since they still need heat, but not as much. I have huge dog cages that I use, for the last 5 - 10 degrees, and to take away their daytime heat, then nighttime heat. When I don't need heat anymore, they go into the coop. I've never worried about low temps in the winter, and yes, it does get down into the high 20's - low 30's at times during the winter here.

Thank you for offering the voice of wisdom too. Maybe they'll pay attention.

 

[getaclue]

oldhens, I hatched some out late this year, and it was in the low 90's in the daytime outside, and in the mid 80's at night. I kept them in the brooder 2 weeks, then put them in the big dog crates on the back porch. That's the only time I would ever do something like that.