What to do?

[jcornett37]

My two Reds are 6 weks old and I am ready to pit them outside in their new coop.....but should I put a heat lamp out their with them? Its supposed to be down in the single digits the next couple of nights........will they be ok or should I wait another week? They have about outgrown the brooder.....

 

[justplainbatty]

My two Reds are 6 weks old and I am ready to pit them outside in their new coop.....but should I put a heat lamp out their with them? Its supposed to be down in the single digits the next couple of nights........will they be ok or should I wait another week? They have about outgrown the brooder.....

That's difficult. If they are going out to a 60* drop in temp all of a sudden, I personally would wait. They have probably not grown winter fluff if they've been indoors @ 68-70*. Can you wait until the difference is only 20* or less?

 

[jcornett37]

20 would be another month.....not sure they can wait that long.....if they cant, what would be my best options?

 

[justplainbatty]

20 would be another month.....not sure they can wait that long.....if they cant, what would be my best options?

Some people use ceramic heaters, it's just that regular heat lamps are so dangerous. What is your coop set up? How big? Do you have any large dog crates you can convert and use inside or in the garage with a oil heater near by? More info you can give = more help and ideas from others.

 

[jcornett37]

This was before I finished it out today. The building is 8x8 and the run 13x8. No carport....just the brooder (3'x5'x12") I built and am using. 7 ladies in all....the reds are 1 week older than the other 5. I keep moving the heat lamp higher above the brooder to lower the heat.

 

[lazy gardener]

Can you put the brooder out in the coop with the heat lamp? IMO a heat lamp is no more dangerous in a coop than it is in a house, as long as it's set up safely.

 

[21hens-incharge]

If I am reading it right you would be putting just 2 chicks out?
Personally I too would wait. It is just to large a space to heat the whole thing and they are not used to being chilly let alone cold.
Is there electricity in the structure? If there is you may consider using a partition to keep them in only a portion of it and put a sealed oil heater in there with them. I would make a lid for the section they would be using that the heat cannot fully escape.

edited to add:

Sealed oil heater is about 40 dollars at home depot and has a tip over shutoff safety. (I have used mine with 19 full grown hens and they have not tipped it over.)

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

I agree with all the others- it is too drastic a change for them since they are skinny.

It is OK to brood in the coop as long as you can do so safely with heat and the temperatures are OK.

 

[justplainbatty]

Gosh, nice coop but my worry for them is shock. If your cold snap is only for a couple days you could screw, glue and tattoo a heat lamp to the rafters above their roost (do they know how to roost?) if you must. IMHO I would rather crowd the birds in their brooder for a few more days than put them out while it's in the teens. Can you let them out of brooder in a non carpeted room during the day to let them stretch out and play? Yes, there'll be poop to clean but better than frozen birds

 

[jcornett37]

I really think that moving the brooder out there to let them adjust is an excellent idea! I will do that Wednesday after this super cold spell for us....you guys are awesome!! Thanks so much for all the replies!!