Time to kick 'em to the curb...well, the little coop anyway...

[Jeffross1968]

So I have 3 chicks that were hatched September 26th. They've spent the last 5 weeks eating me out of house and home, growing feathers, and now...starting to stink up the place. They are also getting restless. I have put them outside for hours at a time in our little coop/run that is being set aside for them. They will stay in there for at least a week, and then we'll start letting them free range with the older ones. After a few weeks of that, 2 of the 3 are leaving to a friends house, and one is staying with us, and will be integrated into the main flock.

So...here's the deal. They haven't "completely" feathered out yet, and it's getting cold at night. Next few nights will be in the low 30's. So I'm thinking of cranking on their heat lamp inside the small coop, but only for night time hours. During the day, it will be rising to the 50's and even low 60's in a few days. Thinking about doing this for a week or so until the rest of their feathers come out.

Acceptable plan?

 

[egghead@1265]

Not sure, but we did the same, hatched 4 eggs, 3 remain(one was trampled on sorry to say) and they were hatched

in our outdoor coop by a BROODY. Broody, did and still is taking care of them, so it is working very well for us as they have been integrated from birth on. Kind of part of the environment. It has been cold here some nights down into the 30's and they have been fine. But, we have been lucky to have Mama Broody to care for them. Broody has even taken in a Black silkie bantam who will often sit with and her, just like the chicks! Perhaps if your flock is accepting of them, they may do the same. I would surely observe and see how they accept them, as that may be your best indicator. My little chicks are very obedient to the mama, and she watches them like a hawk. They rarely go far from her!

And MAMA goes crazy if you try and touch one of them! Good luck, let us know how it goes!

 

[Jeffross1968]

Yeah, I think the integration should go fine, but I'm more worried about them going out into the elements. I'm guessing though, that having the heating lamp out there in the little coop at night will be sufficient.

 

[jaketheeggman]

Lights help

 

[Hunter0704]

The night temp here has dropped into the 30's, so I turn on the 150 watt heat lamp for my girls who are also 5 weeks old, but they are fully feathered out. The heat lamp is placed high in the top of the raised roof so there is no danger of them getting too warm. In the morning when I go to the coop the temperature inside says it is 40 degrees. If not feathered out, they definitely need heat for warmth since they don't have mom to keep them warm. I was so glad the girls feathered out so quickly and in time for the cold weather. To keep the smell out of your coop, use Equine Pellets over the coop floor...it absorbs moisture from poop and water and there is no smell. Plus it isn't messy like shavings.

 

[ChicksterJo]

I let mine get accustomed to the low temperatures, around 60s (in the spring) and when they were 4 weeks old they started going outside for hours at a time. But I would bring them in at night until they were around 6 weeks old or so. Since you would be putting a heat lamp in there and there are 3 of them I would think that is fine.