The Poultry Keeper

tammy68 · Posted: Sat May 10, 2008 7:37 am Post subject: Growing chicks on - when to....

I hatched 2 chicks from the 3 eggs I incubated a few weeks ago. The chicks are now 3 weeks old and are growing well and feathering up nicely. I have them in a brooder and under an infra red lamp which I have been gradually moving away from them. It is now well over a metre away from them although they are actually in the house with no heating on as it is so warm. I have 24 eggs in my new incubator and they are due to hatch next week (21 days on Wednesday). I am not sure how long to keep the 1st 2 chicks under heat so could do with some advice as to timings and temperature at different stages of growth of chicks if anyone can help me please.

I know I was a bit stupid hatching another lot so soon, but I was bitten by the incubation bug that I never knew existed! Confused

I do have another lamp that I can use and I can keep chicks outside in the workshop (don't tell my husband I said that Wink

) I also have a small coop ready to move any youngsters into when the time is right.

Any advice would be appreciated, thanks Very Happy

vanessa · Joined: 24 Sep 2005 Posts: 1165 Location: Correze

Personally, now the weather is so mild, I'd stick them out in a nursery run. Keep an eye on night-time forecasts though, as with only 2 chicks, if it gets cold, they might suffer. Plenty of straw in their house will help.

Since watching mother hens with their young, I molly-coddle my 'bator hatched ones MUCH less!! Wink

tammy68 · Posted: Sat May 10, 2008 7:57 am Post subject:

Thanks for the reply Vanessa. Do you think an older hen might adopt them? Before I start putting them out, should I turn the light off during the day and on at night for a few days to acclimatise them? I have a wire dog crate I could use to put them in with some card on the floor and then can out them outside during the day and inside with a lamp at night? Maybe I have left the lamp on too much and they will feel it if I suddenly put them outside? Confused

Itsybitsy · Joined: 11 Feb 2006 Posts: 1325 Location: Leicestershire

tammy68 · Posted: Sat May 10, 2008 8:48 am Post subject:

Okay, thanks, I will start today when the sun comes out. Very Happy

Henwife · Joined: 31 Jan 2006 Posts: 2954 Location: Monmouthshire

Make sure they are draught free. I know I harp on about this, but young chicks can die very quickly from cold and if they can get out of a draught, they retain body heat.

Woodburner · Posted: Sat May 10, 2008 10:46 pm Post subject:

You can tell when they've had enough of the great, cold, outdoors, they huddle and cheep loudly and plaintively. The weather is so warm now that they might not want to come back in 'til night though Wink

NannyP · Posted: Sat May 10, 2008 11:19 pm Post subject:

I'd save the heat lamp for the night time, and gradually reduce the hours thorugh the night that they are using it. And, you can laways buy another bulb, and find a lamp to take it, if you need to carry on providing heat for more than one hatch.
Good luck with them, and your next batch.

tammy68 · Posted: Sun May 11, 2008 7:14 pm Post subject:

Thanks for the advice. I have had the chicks out in their cage today, we did try them in another pen but they got out as they are not too big to fit through the gaps yet. They seemed quite happy once they had been out for a while and I could see them listening to the cockerel when he started crowing. I have put them back under the lamp for the night now and will switch it off in the morning again. Unfortunately I have to go to work each day so I can't risk leaving them out during the day just yet.

vanessa · Joined: 24 Sep 2005 Posts: 1165 Location: Correze

Create a secure run for them, with shade and shelter ... they'll love the "independence" - and you can still take them in at night for a while longer.