When can baby chicks live outside?

[ButchGood]

Yeah, after going through buying land and remodeling a home in the country, I really don't want to move to a city again, but with having in-laws who are ill and a husband who is an only child, I know we will be moving someday... I just hope wherever we land we will be able to bring all of our fluffy, feathered, and furry friends along with us!

How about leasing the property until you can go back? I would hate to give up a place like that.

 

[romeofoxxchics]

I live in Los Angeles where it's 80-100 degrees in the day and all thru the night it's in the 70s is it okay for the 4week old chicks to stay outside with out the lamp please help me out new at all this. Respond to this post

 

[azygous]

No extra heat is required for four-week old chicks at your current temperatures. In fact, it would be detrimental.

 

[romeofoxxchics]

Thanks they are out there now,they put up a fus at first is that normal, now they are sleep lol they should make it 81degrees out there and they have ventilation they should be fine until I let them out to run around.

 

[azygous]

Follow your common sense and instincts. Throw out the rule book. You know what to do and your chicks will get along great.

So. Cal. is the best place to raise chicks. Everyone there should do it and drive the authorities nuts.

 

[romeofoxxchics]

Lol the authority

 

[justin7]

Okay I have a question, I currently have 18 little feathered friends living inside there brooder that measures 4X3. We have about 6 good sized chicks in there that are the queens of the food and water dish and won't share with our smaller chickens. I know for a fact they aren't growing as rapidly because they don't eat as much as the bigger ones. They are all the same age. Sitting at 6 weeks old. Can the bigger chicks go out in the chicken coop with a heat lamp? Or is it too soon? Only thing that worries me as it still gets down to 25-30 degrees here in upstate New York.

 

[azygous]

Oh, good heavens, move them into the coop! Six weeks old, they're ready!

Start acclimatizing them by turning off their heat lamp! Then make the room cooler each night for the next several days. Then move them into the coop. Just be sure there are no cold drafts.

Also, get the large chicks into a separate container, and start feeding those under-size chicks. This is critical if they are going to have any hope of developing right. However, keep the two groups where they can still all see each other or they will lose their group cohesion. This is important so they won't be in conflict when you put them back together once they move into the coop.

Gosh, how I would dearly love to re-write the rules on brooding chicks! Oh, that's right, I did!

See the article I wrote on brooding chicks outdoors. It's linked below under "articles by azygous". If you have any doubts chicks can handle cold temps, this should reassure you they can.

 

[justin7]

Oh, good heavens, move them into the coop! Six weeks old, they're ready!

Start acclimatizing them by turning off their heat lamp! Then make the room cooler each night for the next several days. Then move them into the coop. Just be sure there are no cold drafts.

Also, get the large chicks into a separate container, and start feeding those under-size chicks. This is critical if they are going to have any hope of developing right. However, keep the two groups where they can still all see each other or they will lose their group cohesion. This is important so they won't be in conflict when you put them back together once they move into the coop.

Gosh, how I would dearly love to re-write the rules on brooding chicks! Oh, that's right, I did!

See the article I wrote on brooding chicks outdoors. It's linked below under "articles by azygous".  If you have any doubts chicks can handle cold temps, this should reassure you they can.

See in the brooder the farthest spot it sits at 60 degrees, right by the heat lamp it sits at around 80. When I check on them at night, they don't even hang out under the heat lamp anymore. They are just all scattered in the brooder. So I am assuming they are already adjusted to the cold weather. But not too sure

 

[azygous]

You've verified by using a tool that no thermometer can do - your chicks' behavior. They are indicating they are comfortable without any outside heat source. Take away the heat lamp. It isn't doing anything for them.

By age four weeks, as long as chicks have been slowly exposed to cooler temps to stimulate feather growth, most will have a nice feather jacket zipped up to their little beaks. You can be confident they will not feel the cold.