Rehoming chicks after hatching... questions

[jennabug]

I tried to search for a thread where this topic was addressed before starting a new thread, but if it's there, it is buried within all the results for "when can my chicks move outside?"
Anyway, I was given some fertile eggs that I only want to hatch and rehome. I don't have room to keep any. The people that are taking them are experienced and will have brooders set up. My questions are below.
1) After they all hatch and get moved to the brooder, when can they go to their new homes?
2) How long can they be outside of a brooder, and what measures need to be taken?
3) Any other suggestions? What am I not asking that I should be asking?

Thanks!

 

[gatorshark75]

I tried to search for a thread where this topic was addressed before starting a new thread, but if it's there, it is buried within all the results for "when can my chicks move outside?"
Anyway, I was given some fertile eggs that I only want to hatch and rehome. I don't have room to keep any. The people that are taking them are experienced and will have brooders set up. My questions are below.
1) After they all hatch and get moved to the brooder, when can they go to their new homes?
2) How long can they be outside of a brooder, and what measures need to be taken?
3) Any other suggestions? What am I not asking that I should be asking?

Thanks!

ok for the first three days chicks can be moved without fear of leaving the brooder but after that they must be kept warm with plenty of food and fresh water but they should be kept in the incubator until they are dry fluffy and moving around after the first three days they must be kept in the brooder for about 4 weeks depending on the outside temps

 

[Donna in Montana]

I hope you get some info on this.

I love hatching eggs but hate the time period I have to care for them inside the house and never know when it's safe to put them with the other chickens. I tried once putting a chick under a hen that was brooding but she didn't like that at all and I had to take it out after she pecked at it. My chicks and the hens chicks never leave their eggs at the same time. =/

I live in Montana and can't hatch chicks until around May. It snowed three inches today. Can't put out plants before the middle of June (I live at a higher altitude then Helena where I would plant a month earlier).

I'll be keeping an eye open on here... This site is just fun to look at.

 

[gatorshark75]

I hope you get some info on this.

I love hatching eggs but hate the time period I have to care for them inside the house and never know when it's safe to put them with the other chickens. I tried once putting a chick under a hen that was brooding but she didn't like that at all and I had to take it out after she pecked at it. My chicks and the hens chicks never leave their eggs at the same time. =/

I live in Montana and can't hatch chicks until around May. It snowed three inches today. Can't put out plants before the middle of June (I live at a higher altitude then Helena where I would plant a month earlier).

I'll be keeping an eye open on here... This site is just fun to look at.

welcome to BYC its safe to put them with chicks close to the same age but to be put with grown hens that depends on the breed some are considered mature sooner than others

 

[subhanalah]

I tried to search for a thread where this topic was addressed before starting a new thread, but if it's there, it is buried within all the results for "when can my chicks move outside?"
Anyway, I was given some fertile eggs that I only want to hatch and rehome.  I don't have room to keep any.  The people that are taking them are experienced and will have brooders set up.  My questions are below.
1) After they all hatch and get moved to the brooder, when can they go to their new homes?
2) How long can they be outside of a brooder, and what measures need to be taken?
3) Any other suggestions?  What am I not asking that I should be asking?

Thanks!

To answer your questions:
1) they can go to their new homes as soon as they are fluffed up and up on their feet. Even at one day old.
2) they can be outside of the brooder as long as it takes to get home, as long as they are kept warm. If they have enough chicks and a thick cardboard box, they will keep each other warm. (So long as it isn't a very LNG drive, maybe anything over 30 minutes to be on the safe side) If they are only buying 2 or 3, or its a long drive, then I recommend them bringing a microwavable heating pad. If they don't have one, you/they can make one out of a sock/pillowcase and plain dry rice. For the rice heating pad, microwave for one minute the at a time, mixing it each time you restart the microwave. Make sure it is not TOO hot, as this could also cause problems for the chicks. Again, a thick cardboard box or other well-insulated parcel is what you will need.

3) recommend they bring their own box and heating supplies
Tell them to line it with towels or paper towels (not newspaper, it is too slick) to help them keep their footing, preventing splay leg, and also to absorb any poop, should they have any in their systems.

Do hey have chickens? If so, ymay need to be concerned about your own biosecurity when they come to pick up the chicks.
Request that they have their brooder already set up before bringing home the chicks.
This is all assuming you don't know the people well and aren't clear on their chicken keeping knowledge/practices/intentions.
I hope this helps,if you have any other questions, please feel free to ask

 

[jennabug]

Thank you all for the feedback, especially subhanalah. This is very helpful. I've got about 12 days left of incubating my first hatch and I am super excited.

One of the people taking chicks is about 40 minutes away, which was a concern of mine. I was thinking those heated pads too, but wasn't sure what people normally used. So far I know the people that will be getting hatched chicks, one is more experienced than the other.

Thanks again! If I have further questions I will post them back into this thread.

 

[subhanalah]

Hope your hatch is a successful one!