When can my babies go outside? and some other questions...

[CityGirlintheCountry]

Mine lived in the house those weeks in a wire dog kennel. It's maybe 2'x3' tops (if that). There were 17 of them in there. The outside temps were daytime 60s and low 70s when they moved out at fourish weeks. Nights got colder of course.
Mine never wanted it as warm as the books said. I started with it at the 95 degrees as they avoided it like the plague. I ended up leaving the lamp on in the corner and just took the thermometer out. I adjusted it based on their behavior, but it never was as warm os the books indicated it should be. It was just too warm for them.
I think as long as you have an area that's warmer, then you are okay. They will migrate to the appropriate temperature as needed. If you can put a lamp in your coop, then that's a great plan. I don't have electricity outside so they were on their own. I did have little pretty deep in the coop and a roost that they could all huddle up on.

I would tell DH I needed the coop about three weeks before I really needed it. Something always comes up.

 

[silkiechicken]

Just go by how they are acting. You can tell once you get to know them if they are cold. I toss mine out early. However, their brooder coop has low ceilings and with 12-24 chicks at one time in it, it does heat up on body heat. I couldn't throw out just two chicks in the same situation and expect them to do just fine. So... listen to them and they'll show you.

 

[jasminty]

#1California Chick :

Now I am really confused!! The info on the forum for raising chicks says that you should start with brooder heat at 95 degrees and reduce it by 5 degrees per week. That would mean that by 6 weeks, the temp should be 70 degrees, 50 degrees by 10 weeks.

However, this thread suggest that you can throw them out in the cold much sooner!!!

I need to know how much time I can give my DH to build the coop (or not get chicks until the coop is almost done!!!)

Also, how long could you keep 6 chicks in a 50 gal container or a Extra large Dog crate???

I also live in California (SF Bay Area), so below freezing temps are usually gone by the end of January.

Thanks!!

Cindy

Thank you kindly for the info everyone, and I'm, glad to know I'm not a complete moron! LOL!! After that first response, I kinda wondered!!

Cindy,
I was going by the same info as you. They seemed pretty much fully feathered at 4 weeks (I think). The first week they liked it on the warmer side (right at about 95) but after that seemed to prefer it slightly lower the the recommended range. They will tell you (just like it says in the info) by moving near or away form the heat source and spreading out when its just right.

Mine made it about three weeks in a giant clear Tupperware tub. Then suddenly were just too crowded. They have been in the play pen since then which is roughly the size of a large dog crate, and they are just about 6 weeks now. They grow fast!! More than I expected! I noticed they seemed bored and crowded just before the holidays. And then started taking them out (supervised...very closely LOL) for a bit during the day (as time and weather allowed, which wasn't as often as I hoped), They were terrified for about 10 mins and then delighted.


I feel much better about them going out now. I will give them a few days with no heat before I put them out (all) day (need to do some safety upgrades in the coop anyways). And wait a couple weeks till I put 'em out at night, (provided we aren't in the middle of a 27 degree cold snap.

Oh and is piling when they try to climb on top/under each other to huddle for warmth causing the one on the bottom to get crushed?


Thanks again!!! I don't know what I would ever do without you guys!!​

 

[silkiechicken]

Quote:
Yep. Most dangerous is when they do this in square corners as the one in the corner gets suffocated or crushed. One reason why some use round brooders.

 

[#1California Chick]

This thread has been VERY helpful to me too!! I don't have any chickens yet. I intend to get some soon, but want to make sure that I can care for them properly!

Just the reason I spend SOOO much time on BYC!!!

Thanks so much for the comments!

Cindy

 

[jaybme]

Cindy, I live in Mountain View!

I have two cuckoo marans in a 40+ ( not sure) gallon rubbermaid container. They started out in a smaller one, but quickly needed more space- within two weeks.

WIth the waterer and feeder in there also with them, elevated on bricks, it became too small at about 5 weeks or so.

I can't imagine 6 regular sized chicks in there!

However, my silkies are half the size and grow so much slower, so they stayed in the large container with three of them with no problem.


As far as freezing temps and all, when the chick are fully feathered they should be able to tolerate a lot of cold temps, but I think is best to not transition in one day from only house temps to yard temps.

I had my chicks in the brooder while I built my own coop, and got it done by the time they needed it. My sister says I could have put them in right away, but the information on BYC convinced me to wait. Next time I do not think I will wait.

You can see my coop on my BYC page. My first building project! A LOT of fun, and now I am onto building other things.

 

[Sissy]

I kept my little ones for 4 weeks in a large cardboard
box (easy to toss after use).in the house
when weather reached 40 they were put into the big house
with a heat lamp in case of waterer freeze.
on our cold nights. with deep litter of wood shavings ,and they have been fine. and welcome to BYC
and a Happy new year to you. ...

 

[Sierra pachie bars]

Once they have feathers they should be fine. But I am in Southern California so we don't get to cold. Nice looking chicks you have there