To people in PNW, when to take chicks outside?

[DaisyG2317]

To those of you living in the PNW, what was your strategy in regards to taking chicks out of brooder in our climate? Right now the daytime temps are 80 and mid 50s at night. I have 4 3-week(maybe?) Old ISA Brown chicks who are currently outgrowing the stock tank in our garage. Garage has a space heater in it so the ambient temperature is somewhat warm, and the chicks have a 125 degree heat lamp that is about 3 feet or so above the brooder. I have been turning the lamp off intermittently during the day because it is so hot outside and leave it on for them all night. They have feathered out almost everywhere but their heads. When can they head out to the big coop with such a swing in temperatures during the day and night? Can they stay outside with no lamp during the day and have the lamp in the coop at night?

 

[sourland]

I'd turn the heat lamp off for several nights, and then put them outside with a 'huddle box' that they could enter for sleeping.

 

[DaisyG2317]

I'd turn the heat lamp off for several nights, and then put them outside with a 'huddle box' that they could enter for sleeping.

That's a good idea. What do you think about the EcoGlow plate in the coop?

 

[sourland]

That's a good idea. What do you think about the EcoGlow plate in the coop?

That would work for sure, but I am not certain that they need it at this point in the game. That being said, I'm betting it would put you more at ease.

 

[Missbc]

Last time I raised chicks in a brooder, this is the time that I would be putting them outside in the coop. I have a separate area in the coop for them for look/no touch, and I put a large covered kennel in there with my ecoglow plate. The cover on the kennel was key because they sort of freaked out the first night with all the daylight. The kennel I have is one of those black wire ones with 2 doors and came with a washable cover. The cover was pulled back over the doors and held in place on the top of the kennel with boards.

(broody raised chicks this year! So much easier! So cute to see the babies amongst the flock)

 

[Missbc]

Also... I’m in NW oregon.

 

[piminuse]

I'm in the same boat as you. I'm PDX area, and this heatwave is heating up my garage where my brood pens are. My current hatches are between 5-7 weeks, some more fully feathered than others, and have been without heat lamps for 3 days. Ambient temp of garage at night is in the 70s, but daytime it's so dang hot and my poor babies are having a rough go of it.

I'm curious if I can move them outside with a partially covered pen and a little sleeping box to keep them from overheating. If they're draft free and huddle up at night they should be OK, right?

 

[Missbc]

I’d think it should be ok. I’m in the PDX area too. My chicks (not quite 2 weeks old) are still hanging out under the broody hen on the floor of the hen house at night. The hen house is pretty warm, and the chicks pretty much stay popped out of her wings, so they aren’t buried under for warmth. During the day, they’re in the outdoor coop and running all over with the flock. They seem to rarely duck under the broody.

No matter what you do, they’ll complain the first night.

 

[Meerstadt]

It depends on the time of year and the weather.
I have some 5 week old chicks that have been outside 100% since 3 weeks. I use heat plates, and raise them incrementally beginning at 3 days old. At a week old, I take them outside for periods of time, bringing them in when it cools down, but keeping them in a room with windows open and a fan blowing (with their heat plate as high as it will go). They do huddle a bit for warmth, but not frantically so.
By 2 weeks, they are outside all day, coming in at night - with no heater plate. Towards the end of the second week, they begin staying outside.

I’m in King County/Western WA.

I have some chicks that hatched out this past Thursday, and this past Saturday. They will likely go out earlier, given we are properly into summer.
I put a 5 week old Cochin pullet in with them Sunday, as she had a slight limp and I wanted to keep an eye on her. She’s become very maternal and seems to have adopted all 13 chicks. So I’m thinking it may be better to integrate them in with the rest of the 5 week olds sooner rather than later, while they are still young and relatively small.

 

[rosemarythyme]

To those of you living in the PNW, what was your strategy in regards to taking chicks out of brooder in our climate? Right now the daytime temps are 80 and mid 50s at night. I have 4 3-week(maybe?) Old ISA Brown chicks who are currently outgrowing the stock tank in our garage. Garage has a space heater in it so the ambient temperature is somewhat warm, and the chicks have a 125 degree heat lamp that is about 3 feet or so above the brooder. I have been turning the lamp off intermittently during the day because it is so hot outside and leave it on for them all night. They have feathered out almost everywhere but their heads. When can they head out to the big coop with such a swing in temperatures during the day and night? Can they stay outside with no lamp during the day and have the lamp in the coop at night?

At 3 weeks old you can wean them off heat and prepare to move them out. I'd turn heat lamp and ambient heat off now, keep them in maybe 2-3 more days to acclimate to lack of heating, then you can put them out. Do NOT heat the coop at night, it's completely unnecessary.

I'm in the same boat as you. I'm PDX area, and this heatwave is heating up my garage where my brood pens are. My current hatches are between 5-7 weeks, some more fully feathered than others, and have been without heat lamps for 3 days. Ambient temp of garage at night is in the 70s, but daytime it's so dang hot and my poor babies are having a rough go of it.

I'm curious if I can move them outside with a partially covered pen and a little sleeping box to keep them from overheating. If they're draft free and huddle up at night they should be OK, right?

Your chicks are a few weeks past the point of needing heat with these temperatures. Since they've been without it for a few days now you can move them out immediately.