when to move outdoors

[carlf]

Good deal.

 

[aim0474]

We were out of town this weekend and left the babies with the chicken sitters AKA neighbors. The little one FINALLY is getting feathers on her body. Her wing feathers are darkening up too.

I put the heating pad in the brooder and am watching to see if they figure it out. So far, not so much. They are chilly too as they are puffed up and covering their heads. If they dont figure it out I am going to have to put the heat lamp back on them. Luckily I can raise it high enough to lower the temps every few days while they get used to it.

Next time we get chicks I am going with the other method from the start.

 

[EasterEggDrew]

Mine are sleeping in an inverted cardboard box cave tonight, as aart felt this would be better (less cramped) than the bucket / blanket rig I had before. In both cases, I had to shoo them into the cave, and block the entrance with my hand for several minutes, until they resigned to laying down and relaxing. Last night, I had to go out and do this twice, but when I checked back on them tonight I see they got the idea after the first try. They're smarter than I thought they'd be, and they seem to be happy and cozy in there, at 45F outside.

 

[Little Fuzzy]

Wow that heated cat bed sounds awesome for chicks!

 

[Little Fuzzy]

After reading this I agree with you. I just followed the written instructions from the hatcher. Eight weeks in the garage was a pain in the butt. Couldn't keep them in the box so they just wandered around in the garage, lots of fun cleanup afterwards. The good thing is my Great Dane had lots of bonding time with them when they were small and now they are all best friends. My next batch will be raised in the coop with the cave method, although I worry about chicks without the mama to protect them??

 

[EasterEggDrew]

Well, mine have been outdoors since week 5, in temperatures running 35F to 85F, and they seem to be doing very well. I'm sure the stress of me building the coop and run around them is causing more stress than the weather. That project was much more work than planned, mostly due to a last-minute choice to replace block walls with stone. Here it is, before trim board, hanging run door, and shingling the roof.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[hebegray]

I'm new to the forum and this is my first post. My 7 babies turned 5 weeks today. They were moved outside with a heat lamp at 3 weeks because they got so big. At that time, daytime temps were in the 80's and they were very happy in the run. We're in the 60's now, with nighttime lows in the 40's ( NC). I still turn on the heat lamp at night, but they're pretty much free to run in and out of the coop/run all day. The hardest part is getting them to go inside at dusk! I'm in the city, and our ordinance requires that they be cooped at night for safety, which I don't have a problem with, but I finally broke down and bought a butterfly net so I don't have to climb around on hands and knees under the raised coop....it works, sometimes....

They're pretty much fully feathered Rocks ( and one Orp). It's not getting any warmer. I''m doing deep litter, so they have plenty of shavings to dig into, and they cuddle together nicely. Is it ok to stop the red lamp at night?

 

[hebegray]

 

[hebegray]

 

[hebegray]