when can I put my babies outside

[crazyhen]

sorry. that i can't help with. I use a brooder bulb for the 125 wt then just reg. bulbs. Jean

Ps: I know there are heat emitting bulbs but I would not use them . I have heard they can cause sunburn in chickens??? I think they are for tanning beds.

 

[cmom]

I start my babies from day one at 95 degrees for the first week then decrease the temp 5 degrees ea. week. I have a wireless digital thermometer in my brooder. When they reach a month or are pretty well feathered out I put them in my nursery coop with the brooder. A pop door opens to their own run. I leave the brooder in the nursery coop for about a week then I take it out. I leave a brooder 175 watt and a 250 watt red heat lamp on a timer in their coop with the thermometer. I try to maintain their coop no lower than 50 to 60 degrees. Tonight it's forecasted to get to 32 degrees. When they get to be about the same size as the big girls, the gate to their run will be open to the yard with the big girls. I have a 11 watt red sign light bulb (no heat) in the big girls coop.

 

[Portia]

My chicks have been outside since day 1...of course they are with their mama hen. Still, even the youngest; which are now 4 weeks still forage around on their own in the 30 degree weather, seeking warmth when they need it which is not nearly as often as you'd think. As long as they have someplace out of drafts to warm up they will seek it and use it as necessary.

 

[minna]

Keep them as warm as you can for as long as you can. I do a lot of listening to my dh's advice for some reason. He told me my 8 week olds would be fine out in the out side coop with the big chickens, it got down to 30 night before last, I lost 5 out of 9.(they were fully feathered) He is no longer allowed to influence my decisions, I said they weren't ready. They are now back in the nursery pen with a heat lamp in case they need it. And my 4 week olds are back in the brooder, b/c they were not ready for the nursery pen. I feel horrible b/c they didn't have to move, dh just thought it would be a good idea and I listened. I tried to warm two up and thought one of the pullets was gonna pull through, but she didn't. Keep them warm as long as you possibly can.

 

[crazyhen]

Wow! really cold last night. Even with the 125 watt light bulb brooder light it is only 26 in the coop which is 4x8. I will put twice that wattage to see if I can keep it at at least 40. I don't want the water to freeze in there with the 2 hens.
Later with the chicks I will have to have at least 50 degrees in their 8th week.
It was in the teens and with wind. Jean

 

[minna]

Have you tried 2 bulbs to spread out the heat?

 

[Portia]

Yup, cold here too! Down to 21 last night, but the 8x8 coop stayed near 40 with a 250 heat lamp and all the birds. Its interesting to see how much the coop temperature drops, even with the heat lamp on, when the chickens exit out into the yard in the morning.

Unless the chicks have been exposed to the cooler weather all their lives, they will need to acclimate; you can't just suddenly expose them for a long duration. Start by putting them out in the sun during the day with someplace warm to retreat to. As they get more used to being in the cold versus seeking the heat source they will grow acclimated. It may take a week or two of longer and longer durations outside before they are ready for an overnight in cooler temperatures. As I noted before, mine have been outside with flock all along, so it hasn't been a problem.

 

[walbarbsa]

My little chickies are only one week old and still in the heated brooder. They're feathering but still I won't put them in the tractor brooder in the garage until the end of next week. I'm going to try and put one of the silky moms in with the 13 of them and see if she'll accept them and keep them warm. If that works, those chicks will flourish. Those silkies are the greatest moms! If that doesn't work, I'll bring them back into the house booder.

I can imagine how upset I'd be if I'd listened to someone's advice and lost 5 of 9 chicks. Those little feathered babies just melt one's heart....

 

[whatsup chickenbutt]

fyi walbarbsa
when i put my little chicks in the coop with three of my hens, I was concerned that they would hurt them becuase they kind of chased them around a bit, but when i checked on them in the night the little babies were all snuggled up under the hens. It was really cute. Then, during the day, they chased them around again.

 

[ChicksN Coffee]

Thank you all.