# Is it ok to let chicks stay outside tonight?



## BamaChicks (Mar 24, 2014)

We have weaned the brooder temp down to about 65 degrees and our chicks are 5-6 wks old and fully feathered as well as 2 Pekin ducks. We have been letting them stay out all day for the last few days and they have been fine. At night we've been bringing them in an putting them back in the brooder with the heat lamp off. We keep our house a fairly cool 65 degrees at night. Tonight the low is 63. Is it ok to leave our older, fully feathered chicks out tonight in the hen house with pine bedding. They always sleep piled up together so I don't believe they should get too cold. This is our first flock and I'm like a nervous new mother. We have 3 day old ducks as well as other chicks up to 3 weeks old that we are keeping in brooders at night. What is a good rule of thumb as to when they are ok to stay at night without the hear lamp? Thanks in Advance!!


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Its staying in the 60's tonight? The answer is maybe. If its windy at all it could be too cool.

I Bama as your sig, does that mean you're in AL. If so, we're going to be in the 40's by the end of the week.


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## BamaChicks (Mar 24, 2014)

Yeah we are is south Alabama. I've been out 4 times in the last 20 minutes. I think I'm bringing them on I will never sleep tonight worrying about them. 


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

LOL I get that. I've been known to keep mine in for four months, of course that was the dead of Winter in S. TN.

We're supposed to get pounded by Friday. I'm in SE AL. I'm confident on the colder temps, not so much on the getting pounded part.


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## BamaChicks (Mar 24, 2014)

Yeah, I just saw a fb post about severe weather later in the week. Hope it doesn't mess up my kids baseball games. I did end up bringing them in. Usually when they want to stay in the run they zig zag and run away from me. Tonight they sat still and let me get them. Much easier than usual. I should sleep better knowing they are all inside and warm. 

Where in Alabama do you live? I'm in Lamison- right on the Southern Marengo/Wilcox County line. 


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

You live south of my SIL. 

I'm not far North of Dothan. Moved here in July.


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## BamaChicks (Mar 24, 2014)

Ok. I lived in Troy for a little while. Where does your SIL live?


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

She's in Selma for now. Going to head to Tampa in the next couple of months. I haven't quite figured that one out, no way would I live there.

It surprises me Troy isn't bigger having so much so close to it. I haven't really explored the city, just cut through on my way to here.


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## BamaChicks (Mar 24, 2014)

My boyfriend is from Selma and I worked pediatrics in the hospital there for years. What is her name and what does she do? I'm in Selma several times a month. 


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

I'm one of those paranoids, I've already divulged more than I normally do about where I am so forgive me for not answering your question on a public forum. 

I can tell you that the move from mid S. TN to here was nearly as good as our move to the N. GA. Mtns. Very glad we did it.


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## BamaChicks (Mar 24, 2014)

I've lived in Alabama most of my life. 


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Well, I can't lay claim to living in one state or another for any length of time especially after I became an adult. I've lived all over the US. But AL will be my last move. At least that's what my hubs says. He said this is it, we're not moving again. We'll see. LOL


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## BamaChicks (Mar 24, 2014)

We live out in the country and I wouldn't have it any other way. We have ponds for the kids to fish, hunting land and plenty of room for them to run around and play. The one thing I'd change is snakes. Luckily ie never killed one in my yard but my uncle kills them in their yard about 300 yards from me all of the time. I will definitely be putting Snake Away around my yard to keep them away from my chicks. 


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

I've been warned about the snakes here. Seems rattlers are the most common here. I'm going to make sure vegetation is kept low where my critters wander to help a small bit. 

We are in the country too. The plus is that we are near retirement and had to think seriously about driving for over an hour just to get to medical care as we age. This set up is perfect. We've got our little bit of acreage, the quiet of the country and yet near enough to just about everything we could need or want.


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## BamaChicks (Mar 24, 2014)

We are cutting vegetation way back around ours also. I'm going to put some Snake Away and moth balls out (far enough away from the chickens that it doesn't leach into their soil). I've been reading up on methods to keep snakes and other rodents away. One big thing I read is to collect eggs frequently. Don't let them stay overnight. For rats and that type of critter I read to take food away from the run at night. Ours won't free range since we have so many dogs around. I'm terrified of the snake situation though. I have a whole board on Pinterest about chickens and their are lots of suggestions for keeping your flock safe. 


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Read the label on that snake away stuff. Seems to me when I checked it out it only works on specific snake breeds. I never bought it because it didn't include the species was trying to keep out. 

Oops, I was getting ready to tell you I have hot wire around my birds then remembered I hadn't plugged it in yet for the night. Guess I should go do that.


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## BamaChicks (Mar 24, 2014)

We are planning on putting some up as soon as we have them out their full time. Hopefully this weekend. Have you ever tried the moth balls? The most common around here have been rat snakes, chicken snakes, copperheads, and rattlers in taller vegetation. On and king snakes. I saw a snake in my garden last year and although Daddy said it was a chicken snake, I never went back out there. My boyfriend and my kids picked it after that. I'm a wimp. 


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Actually I have heard about the mothballs but for mice, not snakes. Problem was the mothballs had to be in the coop to keep out mice and that's a no no so I never really investigated whether it works or not. 

What is left of my flock is in a large dog pen. Instead of running hardware cloth around the bottom a friend suggested using hot wire to keep diggers out of the pen. I only use it at night since chances are very low I'll have issues during the day with me coming and going all day.


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## hildar (Oct 3, 2013)

robin416 said:


> Actually I have heard about the mothballs but for mice, not snakes. Problem was the mothballs had to be in the coop to keep out mice and that's a no no so I never really investigated whether it works or not.
> 
> What is left of my flock is in a large dog pen. Instead of running hardware cloth around the bottom a friend suggested using hot wire to keep diggers out of the pen. I only use it at night since chances are very low I'll have issues during the day with me coming and going all day.


That is what I am doing this year. I have already ordered 4 new chain link kennels, so I can add them to what we have. Just need to put a top on them, and add a few roosts and nesting boxes.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

hildar said:


> That is what I am doing this year. I have already ordered 4 new chain link kennels, so I can add them to what we have. Just need to put a top on them, and add a few roosts and nesting boxes.


There are challenges I had not anticipated. Mine is under an open shed that was existing so we didn't have to do the roof. But it is also just a tad lower than the ground immediately in front of it. I've had to dig a trench to keep water from making everything wet from the run off.

The other thing? Driving rain. I have to have tarps ready to be dropped in case of rain with wind behind it.

If you can do a roof that is much larger than the pen itself you might be able to escape the tarps during rain.


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## kirachristinegarcia (Apr 13, 2014)

Yep that's perfect I have like 4 week old in a coop outside the only reason they in the coop is because wild animals cuse I'm in Devine Texas and who knows what's out theyikes








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