Time to move outside?

[Kris5902]

i have 13 four week old chicks in a 4x4 brooder pen indoors in a heated room. I removed their direct heater two days ago and provided 2 low roosts which they are using during the day. I’m gradually reducing the temperature in their room 5 degrees Celsius at a time on the electric baseboard heater every few days (it started at 20C).

I want to move them outside very soon because they are getting fragrant and I’m borrowing the indoor space and can’t expand it any. I will be moving them up to pasture near where I am building my house, and we have no electricity there. It isn’t safe to move them outside where they are (the owners dogs hunt birds, and there are some predator problems with raccoons and weasels), I’m living and working 2 miles away at our house build site, which makes transitioning them gradually challenging.

I also want to keep them far enough away from the other industrial layer type chickens already down by the electricity, as they have some severe leg mite and lice issues (some of the birds are very old, the existing coop is 60+ years old, I keep suggesting we “repair” it with a can of gasoline and a match, but it has great sentimental value to the farm owners from when they were children 60 years ago).

It is getting down to freezing here at night, and I’m not sure how to proceed.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I'm one to move chicks out early but 4 week old chicks can't handle freezing weather without heat. They probably need another 3 weeks. Possibly 2 if they are out of wind and have good dry bedding .

 

[animalyodelers]

I'm one to move chicks out early but 4 week old chicks can't handle freezing weather without heat. They probably need another 3 weeks. Possibly 2 if they are out of wind and have good dry bedding .

 

[chickens really]

My husbands favourite saying is..What came first? The chicken or the egg?..He always says the Coop....Definitely get something set up to transition them outside..

 

[aart]

My husbands favourite saying is..What came first? The chicken or the egg?..He always says the Coop.

I love this and repeat it often!

 

[chickens really]

I love this and repeat it often!

Bahahaha...Me too. My Husband laughs when I tell him people enjoy his quote....

 

[Kris5902]

My husbands favourite saying is..What came first? The chicken or the egg?..He always says the Coop....Definitely get something set up to transition them outside..

Love that! I can push them another week, and am planning (tell me if this sounds totally nuts) on putting a smaller mobile coop and run inside the haybarn

 

[chickens really]

Love that! I can push them another week, and am planning (tell me if this sounds totally nuts) on putting a smaller mobile coop and run inside the haybarn

That works....Glad you enjoy my Husbands wisdom....

 

[Kris5902]

Sorry lost my post part way through, crummy internet signal here... the haybarn is elevated with a tight floor, 1/4-1/2” gaps between full measure 1x10’s, and is often warmer than my own temporary housing. I can provide them with light via an attachment that runs off my cordless tool batteries on cold days and move them out when the weather is nice. It doesn’t get below freezing here too often before January... outside temperature is usually between 1-5 degrees Celsius, but it can dip down to 0 that’s happened twice since mid October.

 

[chickens really]

Sorry lost my post part way through, crummy internet signal here... the haybarn is elevated with a tight floor, 1/4-1/2” gaps between full measure 1x10’s, and is often warmer than my own temporary housing. I can provide them with light via an attachment that runs off my cordless tool batteries on cold days and move them out when the weather is nice. It doesn’t get below freezing here too often before January... outside temperature is usually between 1-5 degrees Celsius, but it can dip down to 0 that’s happened twice since mid October.

I'm sure you will succeed. Chicks are tough actually..