The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Firbrd]

With our chicks I used a white light during the day and a red one at night from the beginning. They figured out it was bed time when the red light came on. You could try that and see how it works.

 

[Phoenixxx]

? my chicks are three weeks old now. I have had the red light on them this entire time and have just today changed it to a white light in preparation for spending a little time outside.
They seem to be rather nervous with the change, more skittish then they were. The temperature is staying good between 80 and 85. I picked up two because they were lying on their side. Looking
them over I did not see anything wrong. Since they have been resting normally, drinking and eating.
I'm not sure what to think, have I removed the red light to soon? Do you think the chicks are picking on each other? Something just seems off and even now they are louder
then they normally are at this time of night. I do have them in the house and I'm trying not to over stimulate them but maybe the white light is to much to soon?

any thoughts?

First time I bought chicks was last year. They were around 3-6 weeks old and under a heatlamp 24/7. I thought the lady raising them was on crack! Seriously, though! When I was a teen, we had chickens. We let those chickens raise baby chickens. Those baby chickens never saw a heatlamp, nor any kind of other light other than the sun, EVER, and no problems. I'm currently raising a batch of artificially incubated chicks but trying to follow nature's protocol: they've been outdoors free-range from age 48 hrs and get the heatlamp slash substitute mama at night. They're going in the coop with the elders in two weeks. They will be a hair over 3 weeks old at that point.

 

[zinia8]

Hello mumsy so nice to hear from you again even though things have not be going your way. missed you much. Hugs.
Silkies are beautiful.

 

[lalaland]

First time I bought chicks was last year. They were around 3-6 weeks old and under a heatlamp 24/7. I thought the lady raising them was on crack! Seriously, though! When I was a teen, we had chickens. We let those chickens raise baby chickens. Those baby chickens never saw a heatlamp, nor any kind of other light other than the sun, EVER, and no problems. I'm currently raising a batch of artificially incubated chicks but trying to follow nature's protocol: they've been outdoors free-range from age 48 hrs and get the heatlamp slash substitute mama at night. They're going in the coop with the elders in two weeks. They will be a hair over 3 weeks old at that point.

So 3 day old chicks get no heat til dark? what are your daytime temps? sounds like your chicks are just about a week old right now?

Nature's protocol isn't no heat during the day, it is that the mama provides the heat during the day when the chicks get chilled or at some interval determined by mama! I've seen chicks run to mama and warm up, and I've seen mama call the chicks to her and scoop them into her feathers - a few days older and she just calls and they run into the feathers.

I have the batch being raised by mamas, and then 2 chicks a week old and 1 chick about 2 weeks old.

The 3 chicks are raised in the brooder, with a brinsea brooder. Because it can be pretty dark in the coop on rainy days, I've occasionally popped a heat lamp on for the light.- but hung it so it didn't provide direct heat for the chicks, just light.

Last night got down to 39 and this morning they didn't come out of the brooder. So I put the heat lamp on again only this time closer to them for heat, and all 3 came over and stayed put as close to the bulb as they could get. It took a few minutes but then all 3 did the chick melt thing where they slump over and close their eyes.

I watched for a while, they were sticking darned close to the heat lamp. Definitely preferring the warmth.

 

[Phoenixxx]

So 3 day old chicks get no heat til dark?  what are your daytime temps?  sounds like your chicks are just about a week old right now?   

Nature's protocol isn't no heat during the day, it is that the mama provides the heat  during the day when the chicks get chilled or at some interval determined by mama!  I've seen chicks run to mama and warm up, and I've seen mama call the chicks to her and scoop them into her feathers - a few days older and she just calls and they run into the feathers.

I have the batch being raised by mamas, and then 2 chicks a week old and 1 chick about 2 weeks old.  

The 3 chicks are raised in the brooder, with a brinsea brooder.  Because it can be  pretty dark in the coop on rainy days, I've occasionally popped a heat lamp on for the light.- but hung it so it didn't provide direct heat for the chicks, just light.

Last night got down to 39 and this morning they didn't come out of the brooder.  So I put the heat lamp on again only this time closer to them for heat, and all 3 came over and stayed put as close to the bulb as they could get.  It took a few minutes but then all 3 did the chick melt thing where they slump over and close their eyes.  

I watched for a while, they were sticking darned close to the heat lamp.  Definitely preferring the warmth.

Nope, just the sunshine and their own body heat. Heatlamp gets unplugged when I get up, then they go out at around 10:00 until bedtime (when they go into their box at around 8:30/9:00). Temps finally above 10 celsius, though one day early last week the wind had a nasty, icy bite to it that concerned me somewhat. I offered the chicks a shelter, put my winter coat and toque on, and watched them. They didn't care, the shelter was ignored until nap time!

 

[Kassaundra]

One of the many reasons I never kill the amazing predatory jumping spiders, and they are always welcome

 

[heartsizedfarm]

One of the many reasons I never kill the amazing predatory jumping spiders, and they are always welcome

Fabulous photo!

 

[jime]

my friend does not use light or that at all, she puts the babies in a small card box and fallows the sun (her house has lots of windows), I think is bait too much. If the babies are crying to much she puts them in the stove for a while, at night time she takes them to her bedroom and core the card box with blankets. For me sounds to crazy but she does not lose the babies.
The noise is to much for me, for her is way to see if she needs to move the box again.
She is from Mexico and that is the way they do it there, I ma from Peru and even the poor people makes something better a very common way for our people is to make a square of dirt geeks and put fire on it once the fire is due take everything out and put the baby's box in there and they keep cosy for long time. Even that is better that just following the sun.

 

[lazy gardener]

Is your brooder big enough that they can get completely away from the heat? A lot of folks overlook this aspect of brooding. Mama provides heat only under her. The chicks come to Mama as they need to to get warmed up, otherwise, they are at the same temp as the rest of the flock. Do you see them panting sometimes? The weekly 5 degree temp drop is on the conservative side. The only thing i can suggest is that you watch your chick's behavior, and adjust their heat accordingly. It's actually helpful to turn the heat off for a bit every day (after the first week or so) to help them learn to deal with colder temps. It's normal for them to freak out with lighting changes. Chickens don't deal well with change... an other thing that they need to get used to.

 

[potagergirl]

Our brooder is big enough for them to get away from the heat. I keep the lamp on one side and they usually gather round it for nap and bed times. Some of them sleep on the perch we put in the brooder while others prefer to huddle up in small groups in two different areas. (I have 20 chicks in all). I think they were upset because they had a major change from the red bulb to the white bulb. Today they were acting just fine even the two that were lying on their sides. When I took the basket in to put them all in to transport outside to the chicken tractor hubby built only one ran the rest pretty much followed the others but did nothing other then chirp when I picked them up. Outside in the tractor I have not put any perches yet but I will soon. I put a large tub on its side with some of their familiar wood shavings, and their water. I did not put the food in I want them to learn to peck at the ground for food I hope I'm doing that right. Anyway all seem to by content today. If it starts to rain the tractor is light enough and narrow enough I can pick it up and put it on the front porch. So far temps are in high 70's and they are watching the birds watch them.
Being the first time chicken mommy is hard!