When can they go out?

Did you say they are on a wire bottom ? If so you may want to get them off of it as it can cause them some problems with their feet.

If the bathroom ha an exaust fan I would run it so your getting good air exchange,

The stall dry should help with the smell as well. You could line the bottom with newspaper or paper towels and then shavings so the poop will not stick to the bottom. Might ake it a little easir to clean it.
thumbsup.gif
 
Tubby... if you can bring them in when it's going to be around freezing for any length of time... then I say MOVE THEM OUT NOW!!!

Don't wait.. fully feathered practically? they'll be fine... think of giving them something small to huddle together in inside of the coop.. even if it's a carboard box..

they should be fine anyway.. I moved mine out at 4 weeks... but it was warmer then...
 
The floor of the brooder has a wire floor. For the first 3 weeks the floor was covered with drawer liners and paper towels with a layer of shaving on top. As they grew and continued scratching at their bedding I removed the solid layers and added something directly beneath the wire floor...now there is a layer of shavings on top of and underneath the floor, I have been very careful to make sure they weren't susceptible to any injury because of their accommodations.

I think I may start to give them some time outside in the coop beginning early next week. I want to do a little more caulking and cleaning before giving it a shot but with temps in the high 50s I think an hour or so should be safe to begin the transition and would at least give me an idea of ready they are for life outside the house.

I keep asking myself what nature would intend for them. Would they still be under a warm, broody at 5 weeks? I'm still fairly new to chicks and chickens.
 
Quote:
big_smile.png
I will! I think I'll start readying the coops this evening. I have lots of small boxes that I could stuff with shavings and I'll make a deep layer of shavings as well to help keep them warm.

Starting with an hour or so outside, I'll gradually increase their time based on how well they adjust.

I'm nervous but they certainly seem ready for more based on appearances.
 
We have two coops but neither have electricity and are too far from the house to run extension cords to

I just ran 300' of extension cord. Is it farther than that? You can get heavy gauge (14 or 16) outdoor extension cords. I wrapped the connections in lots of electrical tape. You can also put the cord in pvc pipe and bury it. In the spring mine will probably be fastened up on poles so we can mow under it. I don't want to dig a 300' trench to bury it and now the ground is frozen so impossible. The outlet at the end despite going 300' from the garage still runs a heat lamp, heated bucket, and space heater no problem.

Newer heat lamps don't have as much hazard as the older ones. I remember the flimsy old heat lamps we used when foaling horses in the winter when I was a kid. They were dangerous and I had the same concerns when I first put one in my coop. Really though if you take the proper safety precautions it's quite safe. Look how many people use them versus how many have fires. I bet half this board has put a heat lamp out in their coop/barn/garage at some point and I've yet to see a thread about fire. Use 2 ropes to tie it up at an angle (makes a triangle with the lamp) so that if one breaks it's still held up and 2nd so if someone hits it the lamp won't swing around. Put all cords and connections up off the floor and/or covered in electrical tape and you won't have a problem.​
 
Well I just put mine out in the coop today.They are 4wks.old on fri.I had them under a 250 watt bulb x1wk.then 100wattx1wk.then no heat or light just in a dog crate in the house for at least 1wk.and I keep the house around 55-58 degrees.IN the coop I have them in a little area that has a heat lamp it is an old tin brooder that stands on little metal legs about 4in hi it has a big hole in the top and you set the heat lamp on it then is shines into the tin area the top of the tin house is peaked.I checked the temp under the lamp and it has been about 52degrees warmer during the day.We will see how they do.The mama hen has chicks out there and they are doing well they are about 2wk. and 3wk.s she has 2 clutches.
 
My brooder doesn't stink too terribly bad.

The biggest trick I used here was putting the shavings in very, very deep, about 6-8 inches. This way their scratching and walking moves the poop lower and it does not stink.

However, if you have a way to keep the water pristine I'm all ears... that's the STINKIEST part of my brooder by far! (And yes, it gets cleaned multiple times a day.)
 
i know where your coming from. i have 8 week old black and red sex-links and a silkie inside. along with a 13 week old silkie and a 10 week old peking duck. i have had NO problem with smell i know its very strange. i have shavings that have a piney smell to it. but that goes away after they poop on it! hha. i only clean it out every 3 days and i dont get a smell! i just guess im lucky!! lol i know this was help sorry! just wanted to share my experience!!
big_smile.png
. Is it a big enough space so the poop doesnt get clumpy. personally the only smell i get is if they run over their poop and "open" it up then the stink REALLY comes out! lol. i have them in a nice big pen so maybe it kind of eliminates it!! not sure. hope this helped at all!!
 

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom