When will my chicks smarten up? *sigh*

[rosemarythyme]

Yes, there is good ventilation - my husband put in two of these (one on each peak). The window is really for summer.

View attachment 4011218

Hard to tell without measurements but I hope that's much bigger than the usual 4-6" type vent people plug in to a coop.

 

[SourRoses]

It seems like wording is contagious, everyone keeps telling you to "remove" the heat lamp even after you've said it's a permanent fixture. Which is fine, just turn it off, provided they are fully feathered. EOs can be slow to fully feather, so check their backs for any bare spots.

And you're right about the security of the fixture being one of the dangers of heat lamps. But so is flammable dander... chickens release a lot and it all seems to cling on to the lamp housing. And age of the bulb is another danger. Any hotspots or points of weakness in the bulb can lead to an explosion which rains flaming debris down into the bedding... and that is the way people's barns / coops burn down.
Though, it's my belief that heat lamps can be made safer!
One way would be to use fine (1/4 inch) hardware cloth made into a dome underneath the light fixture (well away from the bulb) that would catch any exploded shards. That would work best with metal sheet flashing covering the wooden / plastic surfaces in the vicinity of a light.

But in any case, the keys to using heat lamps as safely as possible is to dust them before every batch of chicks. Never touch the bulbs (skin oil creates hot spots), or place them where water could be flicked onto them.
Change the bulbs out at the slightest sign of failure (flickering) or discoloration. Secure them well (as you have), and ensure the electrical connections are safe and of an appropriate gauge, etc.

I'd listen to @rosemarythyme about the ventilation. It's important to keep humidity low in the coop, and chickens release a lot of vapor from their breath, not to mention the water source you mentioned keeping in the coop. Those two little port vents are not going to release enough humid air to keep them dry and comfy.

 

[Kelly G]

It seems like wording is contagious, everyone keeps telling you to "remove" the heat lamp even after you've said it's a permanent fixture. Which is fine, just turn it off, provided they are fully feathered. EOs can be slow to fully feather, so check their backs for any bare spots.

And you're right about the security of the fixture being one of the dangers of heat lamps. But so is flammable dander... chickens release a lot and it all seems to cling on to the lamp housing. And age of the bulb is another danger. Any hotspots or points of weakness in the bulb can lead to an explosion which rains flaming debris down into the bedding... and that is the way people's barns / coops burn down.
Though, it's my belief that heat lamps can be made safer!
One way would be to use fine (1/4 inch) hardware cloth made into a dome underneath the light fixture (well away from the bulb) that would catch any exploded shards. That would work best with metal sheet flashing covering the wooden / plastic surfaces in the vicinity of a light.

But in any case, the keys to using heat lamps as safely as possible is to dust them before every batch of chicks. Never touch the bulbs (skin oil creates hot spots), or place them where water could be flicked onto them.
Change the bulbs out at the slightest sign of failure (flickering) or discoloration. Secure them well (as you have), and ensure the electrical connections are safe and of an appropriate gauge, etc.

I'd listen to @rosemarythyme about the ventilation. It's important to keep humidity low in the coop, and chickens release a lot of vapor from their breath, not to mention the water source you mentioned keeping in the coop. Those two little port vents are not going to release enough humid air to keep them dry and comfy.

So...this is some really good info! I have been dusting it off each evening when I go to feed them...but I think your "safety guard" is a really good idea! I do have one of them the still needs some feathering on its back...then we should be done with any need for heat. He (I think it's a cockerel) is consistently behind the others in each stage of development.

Now...humidity. I'm not using a traditional waterer...I'm using the kind that has a nipple that the chicks need to peck at. I have a Govee thermometer in there with them...and the humidity fluctuates between 55-65% humidity (just based on the last week) - what is the ideal humidity for inside the coop?

Additionally, during the night, they really don't need the waterer...they are sleeping through the night at this point...so I can take it out.

I never had to worry about humidity in Florida - we were always over 80% - and ventila

 

[AGeese]

This is not cold weather for this breed. Come visit my chickens. That said they look great. I am in the camp of removing the heat, not simply because it's a hazard, but between the heat and the light it could be making them active if not agitated. Also I've read birds can see higher frequency rates than we do. So with some of the cheaper LEDs, they may notice the cycle. Think old tube tv, or CRT computer monitor that has a horrible refresh rate.

 

[Kelly G]

This is not cold weather for this breed. Come visit my chickens. That said they look great. I am in the camp of removing the heat, not simply because it's a hazard, but between the heat and the light it could be making them active if not agitated. Also I've read birds can see higher frequency rates than we do. So with some of the cheaper LEDs, they may notice the cycle. Think old tube tv, or CRT computer monitor that has a horrible refresh rate.

Thank you for your reply!

The heat will go off once that last chick has feathers on its back.

Yeah, and the heat lamp is most definitely not an LED.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Going out into the run started on Tuesday (3 days ago)...and I've had to go and physically put them back into the warm, toasty coop after dark.

When I had chickens before...I don't remember this struggle, LOL!

I did not see in later posts where they had started going in in their own.

Each group is different. Although I house them in my grow-out coop for a week before I let them out to the run they almost never return to sleep at night. I have to train them to go to bed up there. My groups are typically around 20 chicks each. They are often around 8 weeks old.

I had one group that every one of them put themselves to bed the night after I first put them in. I've had a couple of groups that it took three weeks of putting them in each night before the last three or so finally got the message. Most seem to catch on within a week but each group is different. It's not like anything is different each time except the individual chickens.

I don't have a ramp. I have steps they can hop up. Some use the steps, a lot just fly up. Most fly down in the morning instead of using the steps. It is not a case of them not being able to use the ramp at 8 weeks of age. Unless they are breeds that can't fly like Silkies (not your problem) they can get up there, flying if they need to. It is a matter of them wanting to. Be consistent putting them in each night and eventually they will want to.

 

[AGeese]

Thank you for your reply!

The heat will go off once that last chick has feathers on its back.

Yeah, and the heat lamp is most definitely not an LED.

Correct, not sure what you're using for light Just pointing out that chickens see the cyclical frequency rates we can't,so what appears like solid light to us, may have a strobe effect to them.

 

[Tennessee Great Granny]

SO! I have 11 chicks that are 7 weeks old...fully feathered & doing great! I'm SO please with them!!

That said...I'm afraid I don't have the brightest chicks in the world-wide coop...

We have had (with more coming) cold weather here in Western North Carolina...it will be in the teens this weekend. Their coop has heating lamps, fresh, clean water, delicious food! - really everything to reinforce that home is where you want to be!!

I even have a light that is on inside the coop & dims starting at 9pm because I know they are attracted to light.

But...every night I have to go and catch them and physically put them into the coop to be able to lock them in safely...they don't go in on their own.

This is SUPER annoying! When will they smarten up and go in on their own??

Photo of just one of the..."special" pullets...

(and if the sarcasm doesn't translate...please know that I absolutely love my chickens....even if they are trying to kill me.

View attachment 4010987

We have had chickens that took to the main coop like it was always their home, but then we had two batches of orphans who's mothers died defending them from a raccoon and a possum. The orphans mourned the loss of their mothers. One batch the hoard of babies she was raising still gathered in the nursery even after they were way too big to all fit. ( she had like 18 if I remember right) The other batch of orphans was reared by a young rooster from their mothers previous hatch. They had sisters from the previous hatch who gladly would have reared them but the rooster would not allow it. We sold that rooster and started putting the babies into the main coop by hand every single night. We literally had to shut the nursery off to them, but they still would not go willingly to the main coop. After a time it was more of a game with them. They really liked being carried off the the main coop. We realized it when they started flying into our arms or lined up to be carried. The orphans always got a little extra cuddling and petting because they were orphans. They grew to like it. They still love their nursery, but it's all shut tight for the winter. We'll see who gets broody and has babies in the spring. They all go to bed at sunset. They dilly dally until it is almost too dark to see anything. They don't see well at all in the dark. A couple didn't make it to the coop and could not find their way. That took only once and they started making it into the coop on time after that. Once it's dark they are going to sleep no matter where they are. Too bad the predators who love to snack on little chickens are all nocturnal. We always do a once around the run spot check. Its how we lost the two mothers to predators when we did not double check. We won't make that mistake again. We also set out paw traps outside of the run. Sometime during the night those chickens need real dark in order to get good sleep. I think too much light interferes with their internal clocks. They will also lay a whole lot more eggs which is stressful on their bodies. When we have too many eggs we keep the chickens in the dark longer by covering their window with curtains and letting them outside later in the day. If they are overtaxing their bodies laying extra eggs they get older and weaker sooner and also are more prone to sickness and diseased states. We make them take a break from egg laying. Especially if any are going into a molt.

 

[SoCal Chicken Mama]

They do get smarter as they get older. Even without a mother, which surprised me very much. At first I was alarmed that the couldn't figure what to do with the dust bath, and threw dirt on top of them. Eventually they got the urge and just started doing it. Mine too, do not come voluntarily back to the coop, they try to escape to parts of the yard where I can't get them. (Behind a wire support for the rose hedge against a fence. I told them I couldn't get them our of there, but a hawk could, one piece at a time! Or on top of the fence separating me from the 4 dog neighbor's.) Several on the forum made suggestions to train them to follow me - shaking a can of a treats while calling, "here chick, chick, chick" and then rewarding them if they come. Mine are now about 6 months old, and they come to door of the enclosed "Chicken tractor" where I pasture them when I do the treat can thing, and allow me to catch them one or two at a time and carry them back to the coop/run at night. A flash light is on in there where they roost, which I take out once all of them are up on the roost, then I close all the doors and lock all the gates on the coop/run. If they all let me catch them (meaning I don't have to go down on my hands and knees and crawl through poop to catch them), they get black soldier fly larvae, which is their favorite thing. If one holds out, nobody gets treats. So far, so good. No escapees for a long time, either. The coop where they sleep is inside the run.

 

[Gone]

SO! I have 11 chicks that are 7 weeks old...fully feathered & doing great! I'm SO please with them!!

That said...I'm afraid I don't have the brightest chicks in the world-wide coop...

We have had (with more coming) cold weather here in Western North Carolina...it will be in the teens this weekend. Their coop has heating lamps, fresh, clean water, delicious food! - really everything to reinforce that home is where you want to be!!

I even have a light that is on inside the coop & dims starting at 9pm because I know they are attracted to light.

But...every night I have to go and catch them and physically put them into the coop to be able to lock them in safely...they don't go in on their own.

This is SUPER annoying! When will they smarten up and go in on their own??

Photo of just one of the..."special" pullets...

(and if the sarcasm doesn't translate...please know that I absolutely love my chickens....even if they are trying to kill me.

View attachment 4010987

Mine took a couple of months with two of us cornering them with the coop door open.