When can keets come out of brooder?

[TarheelBirdy]

I have read that keets need to be fully feathered before they can be removed from under the heat lamp. Is this true? And if so, at what age are they typically fully-feathered? It seems to be happening quickly - they grow so fast.

Also, when my next hatch happens, will the tiny keets be safe going into the brooder with two-and-three-week old keets? Or might they get hurt?

 

[PeepsCA]

Typically they are "fully feathered" at 6 wks. Yah, they have feathers before then but their bodies don't have the ability to self regulate their own temperature. I start the brooder temp at 95 degrees (at one end only) and decrease it 5 degrees each wk or until the night time temps are equal to what they'd need from a light. Depending on the weather, sometimes I'll provide the light just for warmth at night.

I would not put your newly hatched keets in with your older keets at first, they could get trampled, pecked and kept from food and water. I'd give the little ones a week or so in their own brooder and then see how it goes. If they hold their own and there's plenty of room, food and warmth then they should be ok at that point.

 

[ColbyNTX]

It really depends on your weather. I am in Texas and it is really hot now. My last 2 weeks hatches have had no heat lamp even at night! They are in a brooder outside in the shade out of the wind and with no heat source. By three weeks they are moved to a bigger brooder with all hardware cloth sides but a boxed off part at one end so they can go in for warmth.

 

[TarheelBirdy]

Thanks! I have a plan now.

 

[melroseladi]

My keets are with their mom, at least for now, and she only has them under her at night OR if something startles her. I am in Florida where it is plenty hot.

 

[PeepsCA]

Quote:
Northern California is getting really screwy weather this year, we allllllllllllmost slid right into summer with a week of high 80s temps, (normally it's in the 90s here in June), then all of a sudden it's JUNUARY, lol... high winds, tons of rain, hail and storm cells that are packin' freakin' tornadoes! My poor keets in my outside brooders huddle in piles under their brooder lamps so if this keeps up I might be changing out to higher wattage bulbs, sheesh! Oh well, my Hens are still laying in this weather, so I really shouldn't complain!

 

[TarheelBirdy]

We are in the high 80's and 90's, as is typical here.