moving the chicks outside ....help

[lynda66]

right, theory is chicken house should be done for next week, run will take longer, but the house will be snug and warm and about 10 times the space they are in now. they have been off heat now for a couple of weeks and mostly have feathers though are losing a few..... but the fire is on so it's not cold like it will be outside

i'm just worrying about them being too cold outside, so figured if i start by putting them out in the house during the day, and maybe letting them out for a run in the garden if not too cold ...... then bring them in at night for a week or so, would that work?? so they get chance to warm, or will they need a heat lamp? cos they only babies still?


they were out the other day, in the garden but mostly just stood there looking cold.....

unless someone will make em chook woolies lol

[pipscariad]

Well, I have no experience of this sort of thing at all , but sounds good to me - bit like hardening off plants! Shame that it's due to be so bloomin cold for a bit. I'm sure some excellent Grape will track down a knitting pattern for chickie body warmers, and offer to run a few up...

[Hilary B]

Is there any way you can install a heatlamp for the first few days (or better still, nights)Lynda? Either that or give them a small space to huddle into for the nights....

[MaureenHall]

How old are they now Lynda? The idea of putting them out in the coop during the day sounds good to me, you could always leave the door open so they can come in and out and get used to the big world. Maybe put a box in there as well so they can snuggle up together to keep warm as well. The icy weather is a bit of a turn off though isn't it. What's the weather forecast for next week?

[lynda66]

they are erm born on 11th december, 7 weeks?? .... thing is, i only have a ligt bulb, which they used when little cos the proper heat lamp exploded, and i didn't get another. could do without having to buy a lamp if poss, though i would rather they had one, but i think i'll have to buy 2 sheets of hardboard, so that leaves me totally brassic till a week wednesday lol

i've got a nest box on the end, that will be snug and warm, though not sure i can get perches in that and they like being off the ground,

i'd rather they stayed in at night for the next 2 months than em get cold lol, ok how about this i'll put em out to play in the coop, they'll love all the room, for a week, bringing them in the house at night, ........ then second week maybe leave em overnight and put the playpen in with their lamp in and maybe stick a duvet over it to keep it warm?? then the 3rd week leave em without heat if it's warm enough, then 4th week let em loose in the house at night too

mind you rabbit hopefully will go this week, so there will be a small bunny cage, though theres no room for a perch in that either. and it will be too small, but it'll only be for night.

[lynda66]

did that sound bad ..... think i don't want em outside really lol .... but i really can't stand the smell any more, i'm sure people step away from me when i walk past em cos i smell of chickens

[SarzWix]

If you can get hold of some cardboard, that will insulate as well as hardboard, and probably be cheaper?
Metcheck advanced forecast for 'manchester-ish' is showing it warming up by 15th, so hopefully 2 weeks of in and out will be enough?

[lynda66]

thing is with hardboard, i'll have to replace it, the hardboard is to cover all the nails sticking through the outside wall lol

it's gonna be permanent so figured hardboard best/cheapest option.

[SarzWix]

thing is with hardboard, i'll have to replace it, the hardboard is to cover all the nails sticking through the outside wall lol

it's gonna be permanent so figured hardboard best/cheapest option.

Depends if the choice is cardboard and food for the next week, or hardboard, and none It's a bummer really, coz we've got at least one big sheet of hardboard in the garage, but I don't think we can afford the diesel to get to you

[lynda66]

well i'm still hoping that the bloke next door might actually get round to geting some,for nowt but i really want to get it done proper first time, so it's home, rather than having to turf em out to make adjustments, am still hoping someone might come up with something on freecycle so i don't have to buy any.

[Snadger]

Good point Lynda! I've always asumed that at the end of 6 weeks they can come off heat, but I suppose, just like plants they need hardedening off!
I suppose that one reason why it's deemed a bad time of year to raise chicks.
As long as there is plenty of insulating material like straw or wood shavings in hut they should be ok. I wouldn't even let them into the run unless it was a fine day and you could watch them.

Any chance of rigging up an electrical extention to the coop and hanging a single light bulb in there at low level for a while?

[Nicos]

Is it worth putting a sort of hotwater bottle in the coop for them????

What I'm thinking is 2 or 3 glass bottles with screw lids containing hot water.
You could put them in at tea time and then again at bed time when they finally go out all night.

...or heat up some big stones in the oven and pop them into the coop with something over them???

It would certainly help to warm the air a little until they cooled down.

I like the idea of hardening them off though between now and then!

[lynda66]

i can get electricity out there, but not sure just a light bulb will be warm enough for them in the shed? ..... maybe i'll just get all soft and stick a radiator in with them

in light of todays snow ........ i can put up with chicken poo smells another couple of weeks lol, would hate to stick em out then have freezer ready birds in the morning

though i'm gonna take em out in it today, just to see if they like it

it will be a while before the run is finished, so they will be confined to coop unless i'm in the garden to watch them, they won't mind, cos it's gonna be much more fun and massive compared to the playpen