When to move chicks outside?

[chickentrains]

I waited 8 weeks and before that never brought them outside unless it was above 80 degrees F

 

[rosemarythyme]

They are in our living room with a brinsea heating plate on the tallest setting. We keep our house at 65-67 degrees and they have started to snuggle together away from the heating plate and dig a hole in their pine shavings to sleep.

Do you have a room (basement, garage, unused bath or bedroom) that's cooler or can be made cooler (i.e. opening a window in a bathroom)? That'll help expose them to colder ambient temperatures while still in a controlled environment.

Other alternative is to take them outside in a chick safe enclosure with an available draft/wind protected area, for play time, starting at maybe 1 hour the first day, and extending out longer over subsequent days as they get used to the cooler temperatures outside.

 

[casschumama]

Do you have a room (basement, garage, unused bath or bedroom) that's cooler or can be made cooler (i.e. opening a window in a bathroom)? That'll help expose them to colder ambient temperatures while still in a controlled environment.

Other alternative is to take them outside in a chick safe enclosure with an available draft/wind protected area, for play time, starting at maybe 1 hour the first day, and extending out longer over subsequent days as they get used to the cooler temperatures outside.

We have a garage we could put them in. We use it for storage mainly, and have a baby play pen we could keep them in with the heat plate just in case. Thank you!

 

[Mrs. K]

Not sure of what your dimensions are, I am thinking of our dog house, 3 x 4 feet, maybe...

Unless you have an incredibly large dog house, 5 chickens is probably going to be a wreck. They are so tiny now, what is more than enough space is rapidly going to be not near enough space. Lack of space cause very, very ugly behaviors.

For 5 adult chickens, you would need a coop size of about 5 x 4feet or bigger. If you don't have that, do not get the chicks. The dog house will work fine for 3 chicks. And you really don't need a fancy set up, but what you really do need is SPACE.

Mrs K

 

[casschumama]

Not sure of what your dimensions are, I am thinking of our dog house, 3 x 4 feet, maybe...

Unless you have an incredibly large dog house, 5 chickens is probably going to be a wreck. They are so tiny now, what is more than enough space is rapidly going to be not near enough space. Lack of space cause very, very ugly behaviors.

For 5 adult chickens, you would need a coop size of about 5 x 4feet or bigger. If you don't have that, do not get the chicks. The dog house will work fine for 3 chicks. And you really don't need a fancy set up, but what you really do need is SPACE.

Mrs K

We are building a larger coop, and the dog house (4×5×3) is temporary. we are also repurposing 2 xl twin size beds together for a larger coop. The dog house is just to use until the big coop is finished (about 2 weeks). 3 chicks are bantam, so I didn't really think they needed the same size as an average chicken..might have been my mistake and misunderstood that about bantams.

 

[Mrs. K]

oh no, I did not know this other plan. Sometimes people get chicken math, and their chicks are so little, not realizing that in 6 months, they are making a wreck.

I would be getting my chicks outside. My DH cannot tolerate birds in the house, I raise mine for just a couple of weeks in the garage, and then get them outside as soon as possible.

Mrs K

 

[casschumama]

oh no, I did not know this other plan. Sometimes people get chicken math, and their chicks are so little, not realizing that in 6 months, they are making a wreck.

I would be getting my chicks outside. My DH cannot tolerate birds in the house, I raise mine for just a couple of weeks in the garage, and then get them outside as soon as possible.

Mrs K

While my husband is pretty tolerant of birds in the house, my nose isn't we will finish up the run and coop today and bring them outside, clean the brooder and go get the last 2 chicks tomorrow! Thank you for your insight!!

 

[casschumama]

oh no, I did not know this other plan. Sometimes people get chicken math, and their chicks are so little, not realizing that in 6 months, they are making a wreck.

I would be getting my chicks outside. My DH cannot tolerate birds in the house, I raise mine for just a couple of weeks in the garage, and then get them outside as soon as possible.

Mrs K

They spent the night outside last night & did fine! No loud chirping, and woke up and have been fine ever since. thank you!!

 

[aart]

They spent the night outside last night & did fine! No loud chirping, and woke up and have been fine ever since

Great!
So next step is to put them in the coop, right?
They may cook in that aquarium....and it's way too small.

 

[casschumama]

Great!
So next step is to put them in the coop, right?
They may cook in that aquarium....and it's way too small.

They spent the day in the coop and run and only night in the aquarium with their heat plate, As our extension cord doesn't reach their coop . They are back out in their run at 8am!