Their first night outside on their own

[m3shelly]

My first batch went out here in Northwestern Wyoming at 5.5 weeks. I just flat out evicted them. Oh, I turned the heat lamp for a few days first, and put the lamp out there for them when I moved them. The first night our temps plummeted down to 18 degrees. I was up all night long, jumping out of bed and checking on them. They were fine. I was feeezing! They were all snuggled down in front of the pop door and not even using the lamp. The second night was the same story...except I only got up once to check them. The third day the lamp came out, and that night it snowed.

That was on an April 1st. We didn’t get our last snowfall until June 6th. If I’d kept them in until temperature charts, books and experts said they could go out, they’d have been in the house in the brooder until they were 17 weeks old. Yeah, not happening. That April was when I began to understand that estimates of how much heat chicks really need was not quite accurate, to put it nicely. A mother hen has no nightlights, no space heaters, and her chicks are out running over mud puddles and the even occasional patch of snow, and thriving. I never raised chicks in the house again. 8 batches, raised outside from the start. I had to decide first what I was doing - was I trying to raise delicate little Divas in a hothouse or did I want strong, self confident chicks who would thrive outdoors where they would happily live out their lives? A two pound hen knows what they need. Why is it so hard on us?

Putting them out that first time is nerve-wracking, and I sure understand that, but eventually they simply have to live out there. The more fuss we make about it, the more it gets to us. So if not now, when? Wean them off the light or the heating pad and prepare them. And for those using a heating pad, you’ve probably noticed that they hardly use it anymore after 3-4 weeks anyway, preferring to wean themselves from heat the same way they decided they needed a warmup. That’s the beauty of letting them self regulate. For lamp raised chicks, they’ll hate you when the light first goes out, especially the first few nights, but after throwing the equivalent of a toddler’s temper tantrum they get over it quickly. We, on the other hand......

Wow. It's colder by you! I don't remember the last time we had measurable snow in April!! Certainly not June!

Thanks for your advice!!

 

[m3shelly]

If your coop is big enough, just bring in a mattress and ...... never mind.

Lol. Nope. They haven't been treated as pets. They're livestock. Still don't want to shock em.

 

[featherhead007]

My first batch went out here in Northwestern Wyoming at 5.5 weeks. I just flat out evicted them. Oh, I turned the heat lamp for a few days first, and put the lamp out there for them when I moved them. The first night our temps plummeted down to 18 degrees. I was up all night long, jumping out of bed and checking on them. They were fine. I was feeezing! They were all snuggled down in front of the pop door and not even using the lamp. The second night was the same story...except I only got up once to check them. The third day the lamp came out, and that night it snowed.

That was on an April 1st. We didn’t get our last snowfall until June 6th. If I’d kept them in until temperature charts, books and experts said they could go out, they’d have been in the house in the brooder until they were 17 weeks old. Yeah, not happening. That April was when I began to understand that estimates of how much heat chicks really need was not quite accurate, to put it nicely. A mother hen has no nightlights, no space heaters, and her chicks are out running over mud puddles and the even occasional patch of snow, and thriving. I never raised chicks in the house again. 8 batches, raised outside from the start. I had to decide first what I was doing - was I trying to raise delicate little Divas in a hothouse or did I want strong, self confident chicks who would thrive outdoors where they would happily live out their lives? A two pound hen knows what they need. Why is it so hard on us?

Putting them out that first time is nerve-wracking, and I sure understand that, but eventually they simply have to live out there. The more fuss we make about it, the more it gets to us. So if not now, when? Wean them off the light or the heating pad and prepare them. And for those using a heating pad, you’ve probably noticed that they hardly use it anymore after 3-4 weeks anyway, preferring to wean themselves from heat the same way they decided they needed a warmup. That’s the beauty of letting them self regulate. For lamp raised chicks, they’ll hate you when the light first goes out, especially the first few nights, but after throwing the equivalent of a toddler’s temper tantrum they get over it quickly. We, on the other hand......

My babies screamed murder at me the first night out!

 

[GldnValleyHens]

My 3 chicks, A Cochin and 2 Polish are about a month old, and have most of their feathers. The weather is in the 50's-60's during the day, down to 30's at night. If they have a heat lamp, I think they should be okay in the coop, right? I'm getting some baby Silkies soon and need the brooder to be free. Also, these chicks are the messiest I've ever had! Polish are slobs!! They need to get out of my basement.

 

[featherhead007]

Lol. Nope. They haven't been treatA

oops

 

[featherhead007]

Lol. Nope. They haven't been treated as pets. They're livestock. Still don't want to shock em.

I first bought livestock, but in 2 days they were best friends and Pets!

 

[m3shelly]

My 3 chicks, A Cochin and 2 Polish are about a month old, and have most of their feathers. The weather is in the 50's-60's during the day, down to 30's at night. If they have a heat lamp, I think they should be okay in the coop, right? I'm getting some baby Silkies soon and need the brooder to be free. Also, these chicks are the messiest I've ever had! Polish are slobs!! They need to get out of my basement.

Looks like they'll be fine. I'll be sending mine outdoors this weekend, into their coop on the south side of our home, without a heat lamp. Judging by advice from others here...

 

[m3shelly]

I first bought livestock, but in 2 days they were best friends and Pets!

Yeah. I'm sure my attitude will change in no time. They've been in their brooder in my basement, so I only see them when I walk down there. Once they're outside, and I'm out there a lot in the spring/summer, my feelings will grow for them.

 

[featherhead007]

poor cold, shivering, starving. little bundles of love. It saddens me to hear of such neglect! I'm kidding

 

[keeks&kiwimom]

My first batch went out here in Northwestern Wyoming at 5.5 weeks. I just flat out evicted them. Oh, I turned the heat lamp for a few days first, and put the lamp out there for them when I moved them. The first night our temps plummeted down to 18 degrees. I was up all night long, jumping out of bed and checking on them. They were fine. I was feeezing! They were all snuggled down in front of the pop door and not even using the lamp. The second night was the same story...except I only got up once to check them. The third day the lamp came out, and that night it snowed.

That was on an April 1st. We didn’t get our last snowfall until June 6th. If I’d kept them in until temperature charts, books and experts said they could go out, they’d have been in the house in the brooder until they were 17 weeks old. Yeah, not happening. That April was when I began to understand that estimates of how much heat chicks really need was not quite accurate, to put it nicely. A mother hen has no nightlights, no space heaters, and her chicks are out running over mud puddles and the even occasional patch of snow, and thriving. I never raised chicks in the house again. 8 batches, raised outside from the start. I had to decide first what I was doing - was I trying to raise delicate little Divas in a hothouse or did I want strong, self confident chicks who would thrive outdoors where they would happily live out their lives? A two pound hen knows what they need. Why is it so hard on us?

Putting them out that first time is nerve-wracking, and I sure understand that, but eventually they simply have to live out there. The more fuss we make about it, the more it gets to us. So if not now, when? Wean them off the light or the heating pad and prepare them. And for those using a heating pad, you’ve probably noticed that they hardly use it anymore after 3-4 weeks anyway, preferring to wean themselves from heat the same way they decided they needed a warmup. That’s the beauty of letting them self regulate. For lamp raised chicks, they’ll hate you when the light first goes out, especially the first few nights, but after throwing the equivalent of a toddler’s temper tantrum they get over it quickly. We, on the other hand......

I just wanted to say that I appreciate your feed back. I’ve seen you reply to several other posts and I just wanted to thank you for sharing knowledge.