A friend who also has baby chickens asked me if my chicks are warm outside in their coop at night this spring. I’ll share my answer here, in case any of you are raising chicks and are wondering the same thing.
*First off, let me get the disclaimer out of the way: I am a first time surrogate mother hen. I have no idea what I’m doing and am guided only by a strong sense of trust in the natural world.*
That said, are my chickens warm enough at night? I think so. It’s been in the 30’s and 40’s the past few nights. I woke up this morning to find ice in the birdbath, so it must have been chilly last night. I think of chickens as I think of tomato plants: they prefer it warm and sunny, with nighttime lows in the upper-40’s at the lowest.
My chickens are in a hen house with a door that closes at night. The floor is covered with a few inches of pine shavings for warmth and comfort. The 250 watt red heat bulb hangs from the ceiling, aimed at a corner.
At this moment (about 10 pm) it is 62 degrees outside. I checked on the chicks and almost all of them are huddled in a big mass. An hour ago, it was a tight mass, away from the heat lamp. I knew it meant they were too hot (not that they don’t have enough room to spread out if they’re too hot… why do they stick together so?). Just now, they are still in a mass, but it’s a looser formation and some of them are drifting toward the heat lamp. By the time dawn breaks, when it is coldest, they will be loosely gathered under the lamp. At that point they will be neither too hot nor too cold – they will be comfortable.
I placed the heat lamp so that it sheds warmth on one corner and should keep the chicks warm even if the temperature drops considerably at night. If it’s warmer, the chicks have a nice, big hen house to spread out in. In the morning, when it’s still chilly outdoors, they venture out of the house to greet the day. Their door is always open during the day, and the heat lamp is always on for them. If they want it, it’s theirs. I have found though that they often do not seek it out. They are feathering out nicely. Surely that has something to do with it.
Are my chickens warm? I think so.
Baby Quail Chicks in
Murray, Kentucky
We have many Rare Chicken Breeds for sale in Murray Kentucky,
including Sussex Chickens, Welsummer Chickens, Turken Chickens and more.
Be sure to check out the Bargain Specials, as you can combine different
egg layers in smaller amounts and buy as an assortment. Murray
Kentucky also has poultry equipment for sale, game chickens for sale in
Murray Kentucky, bantams for sale, ducks for sale, geese for sale,
turkeys for sale, guinea for sale, peafowl for sale, pheasant for sale,
chukar partridge for sale, bobwhite for sale, many different breeds of
baby chicks for sale in Murray KY.
Baby Chicks Near Me in
Murray, Kentucky
Thumbing through a baby chickens for sale in Murray Kentucky
catalog is a yearly traditions in many houses. My kids and I eagerly await
the Murray McMurray Hatchery catalog. We love looking at all the cool and
different chicken breeds available. Catalogs are free so head on over to
their site and request one if you are interested.
Typically hatcheries online offer both standard breeds
and bantams. Bantams are fun hardy little chickens, they lay tiny eggs
that kids especially love collecting. Bantams typically weigh less than 2
pounds when full grown. Just like ordering anything online there are pros
and cons to ordering baby chicks online. Pros of buying baby chicks in
Murray Kentucky * Big Selection - If you are wanting a large
variety of different chicken breeds and egg colors, you will find the best
selection at an online hatchery. * Both Bantams and full sized chickens
available * You get to choose what sex you want. If you want a mixture of
both male and female then choosing a "straight run" will save you money
and you will get a mixture of male and female chicks. You can also choose
all males or all females too. * Weekly specials. Hatcheries have sales on
chicks, you are likely to get a good deal if you are flexible with the
breeds you are wanting. Cons of buying baby chicks in Murray
Kentucky * Order early to get the best selection. Certain breeds sell
out fast, sometimes as early as 6 months in advance of shipping! If you
are wanting a certain breed it's best to order your chicks in the fall
before their orders sell out.
Baby Chickens And
Ducks in
Murray, Kentucky
Quantity - you must order a certain number of chicks. Typically hatcheries
will require you buy a minimum of 25 chicks at a time. The number is
necessary for the chicks survival during shipping. All 25 chicks are put
in one small box without heat. They are crowded in the box and produce
enough body heat to arrive in good shape. * The wait - If you choose to
buy chicks from a feed store you will have them the same day but if you
choose to go with a hatchery you have to wait until they are ready to ship
and then wait for the chicks to arrive. Ordering baby chicks online in
Murray Kentucky is easy and has always been a very pleasant
experience of me. It can be a little frustrating waiting for the chicks
but it's so worth the wait. When the post office calls and you hear all
those little "cheeps" or "chirps" in the background you'll know the wait
was worth it! How to Care for your new baby chickens in Murray,
Kentucky Baby chicks are really
charming and also
hard to resist,
yet it's finest to plan for their
arrival before you obtain them. Prepare initially
by compiling not only the
appropriate materials, yet
additionally the correct
expertise to look after
them. Raising baby chicks is relatively
basic, you merely have to provide them with the following: A tidy and also warm
environment A lot of food and water Focus and
love Environment Your habitat can be an easy box, aquarium,
pet cat provider, or guinea
pig cage. Line it with old towels as well as
coverings (without any loose
strings!) to start, and after a
couple of weeks use straw over paper.
Keep in mind: Avoid utilizing only
paper or various other sandal
surfaces-- or your chicks legs can expand
misshapen. You also need
something to serve up food and
water in, such as a chicken feeder as well as water
recipe from the feed shop, or a pickle jar
lid for food and a family
pet bird water dispenser from an animal shop. Additionally, as the chicks age you can present a perch
into the habitat to get them
educated on setting down. Warmth To
keep your chicks warm you should
give them with a warmth resource.
This could be as basic as a 100 watt
light bulb in a reflective clamp style lamp from an equipment shop, or an infrared reptile heat
bulb also work extremely well (my
referral). Chicks require this
heat 24/7 up until their downy fluff is
changed with feathers (which could occupy to 2 months). The newly
hatched need a temperature
in between 90 as well as 100 levels,
and also each week this could
be lowered by
around 5 levels approximately. The warmth source must get on simply one side of the cage
to permit chicks a range of
temperatures. The chicks are your finest
thermometer- if they are concealing in the
opposite corner of your heat
light, you need to
reduce the temperature level. If
they are surrounding each various other under the
warmth (not just cuddling),
you have to add some warmth.
House cleaning
Tidiness is essential and it maintains your chicks healthy and
balanced. Be sure to alter
the bed linen
frequently and also
always provide tidy
food and also water Food and water.
Chicks expand very quickly
which requires plenty of clean
food and also water. Offer
sufficient whatsoever times as well
as inspect
commonly to avoid parched as well as
hungry chicks. Chick food is various compared
to grown-up chicken food, as well as it is available in both medicated and
also non-medicated varieties. Feed chick food for the
initial 2 months, then
switch to a grower food (~ 17 %
protein) for one more 2 months,
then to a somewhat
reduced protein feed or a layer feed
(if you have layers). Dirt Some chicks want
to obtain a running start on taking
dirt baths, while others won't take
up that task till they are
older. If you have the room in your chick
room, present a tray of sand or
dust for them to bathe in.
Attention and also love There are a
few benefits to spending time with your chicks. Firstly, they will certainly probably bond with you as well as
not flee as adults. Second, if you
analyze your chicks daily and also
watch their habits, you can
catch ailment or other problems previously. Keep an
eye out for wheezing, limping, or
various other unhealthy
indications. Make certain to
likewise take a look at
their poop, as looseness of the bowels could bring about matted feathers as well
as blocked cloaca.
Last but not least, it is necessary to look out
for social issues, such as the
smallest chick obtaining badgered. Vacant nest disorder So your
chicks are currently completely feathered
and its time for them to leave the
safety of your residence
and relocate outside into a cage. Have a look at our
area on chicken cages for more information
about coops as well as
appropriate coop habitats.
Baby Chicks As PetsBaby Chicks And Ducks More Posts Baby Chickens for Sale in Herndon, Kentucky Baby Chickens for Sale in Lone, Kentucky Baby Chickens for Sale in Fort Thomas, Kentucky Baby Chickens for Sale in Kevil, Kentucky Baby Chickens for Sale in Madisonville, Kentucky