candemaye
In the Brooder
- Apr 22, 2015
- 55
- 1
- 43
My chicks are 4 and 5 weeks old, nearly fully feathered (the younger ones just have some tufts of down on their heads and bellies and under their wings, the older one are starting to feather under their wings and are feathered everywhere else.) They've been outside most of the day yesterday and today, from about noon to dusk in the little coop with no extra heat (highs around 75), and then I bring them back into their brooder with the heat lamp for a bit before shutting it off for bed. Well tonight when I brought them in they started squawking their heads off. I immediately checked their box because they were crying like they do when someone spills the water everywhere, but nothing, box is dry, bedding is dry (and cleaned), they have food, everything looks good. So I shut the lamp off thinking they are to hot and they keep carrying on. I turned on a light, in case they weren't ready for bed, no difference. So I finally shut the lights off, put their lid on, and covered it up part of the way with a blanket. They've quieted down but still chattering some. What the heck? Is this their way of telling me they never want to see the brooder box again? Lows will be in the mid 50s for now but I thought that would be to cold-the little "transition coop" has no electricity as they're only supposed to be there during the day light hours when the sun is up and the wind is low. The big coop is no where near ready for them yet. Should I just start leaving them out? Their little coop is one of those silly ones from TSC (was given to us free) that says it holds 4 hens but really is only big enough for one hen, maybe 2.
