New chick mom

Pics
Date sort Score sort
pdnarus10

pdnarus10

In the Brooder
May 5, 2024
16
30
46
Hi. Great to see this site. I have 4 chicks. They're officially 8 weeks old today. I couldn't wait to put them outside. I waited because it was so cold at night. I did keep turning the temperatures down in my brooder for conditioning. The lowest was 70. Some of the chicken farmers. That I saw on videos recommended letting them outside for an hour at a time for a couple days, then putting them back in the brooder just for them to get used to it. I did that and they liked it. I then put them in the coop for the first time, but I had the heating plate on low because it went into the fifties, low fifties. My chicken coop is a little small. It can only fit 2 chickens. So I had to put 2 coops together as was the design if you wanted two. This will be the first night without a heater. I was encouraged by the info here so I think they will be fine now but this coming Fri and Sat will be in the upper 50s with 47 at night. I'll turn the heater on then. They are fully feathered but I think they still need some conditioning because of the extreme temp variations. Thanks.
 
pdnarus10 said:
Hi. Great to see this site. I have 4 chicks. They're officially 8 weeks old today. I couldn't wait to put them outside. I waited because it was so cold at night. I did keep turning the temperatures down in my brooder for conditioning. The lowest was 70. Some of the chicken farmers. That I saw on videos recommended letting them outside for an hour at a time for a couple days, then putting them back in the brooder just for them to get used to it. I did that and they liked it. I then put them in the coop for the first time, but I had the heating plate on low because it went into the fifties, low fifties. My chicken coop is a little small. It can only fit 2 chickens. So I had to put 2 coops together as was the design if you wanted two. This will be the first night without a heater. I was encouraged by the info here so I think they will be fine now but this coming Fri and Sat will be in the upper 50s with 47 at night. I'll turn the heater on then. They are fully feathered but I think they still need some conditioning because of the extreme temp variations. Thanks.
Click to expand...
Welcome. It sounds like your judgment is good. Keep on doing the great job you are doing. Some will tell you to put them out earlier, but we all have to take the information we have and make our own decisions based on our own comfort level. I didn't bring mine out until 10-weeks, both flock 1 and flock 2. It wasn't because of weather, but, it was to keep control over the situation without it being overwhelming. To each his/her own.
 
Last edited:
I agree with @janiedoe You do what you feel is best.

I just had put my 6-week-old silkies out a few days ago.

They have a hutch connected to the pen with a Cozy Coop radiant heater in it to crawl in next to if they get cold. Some nights it's still high 30s, low 40s. Tonite for example, 41F. I went out to peek in on them and all 7 are huddled up in front of it so they need it. Once the nighttime temps don't go below 50 I'll pull the heater. They'll be another week or two older by then too.
 

Similar threads

M
Moving Chicks Outside
2
Replies
13
Views
1K
Mikski
M

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom