HELP chicks dying

[jaketheeggman]

I live in Green Bay WI. I ordered 12 leghorn chicks from ideal over Christmas break. They turned 60 days old last week so i put them in the coop. I made my coop this year witch is also very nice. The temp never goes below freezing in the coop. After a few days 2 chicks died

. So i deiced to put them back in my basement. I really need some help on how to put them in the outdoor coop with the big chickens so they don't die.

PLEASE HELP

 

[Silkie Sue]

i'm sorry for your losses..

if they are used to being in the basement maybe the coop is too much of a temp drop.
is there any way you can get a heat lamp in there for them if they need it

 

[SeramaLife]

If you think the problem is the cold, you might want to wait until it warms up and then put them out.

 

[FarmGirl01]

I think they are still a little young to go outside without some heat source. If they are not introduced to the older hens, they won't sleep next to them. They are most likely still to young to roost with the big girls.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

I feel that at two months they might have all their feathers, but since it is winter they haven't had that maturation time in the fall to build up fat and downy fluff to keep them warm out in the winter environment.

I have to say, with your northern climate, they probably need a light bulb in the coop or keep them in the basement until it's warmer like Ondre's said. If you use a light bulb, be careful to secure it two ways at least, not including the clamp and keep it far away from combustibles. Think flying chickens.

I use 100 watt bulbs in my coops when it goes down to freezing. My climate is wet wet wet and windy where the coops are located. My coops are uninsulated claptrap jobs. Bad combo for frostbite.

 

[AlabamaChickenLady]

We put ours out in the coop at 8 weeks old... in January. It was still pretty cold here, so we put a heat light out there with them.

BUT - We built a large temp brooder out there on one end of the coop. It was about 3ft wide by 6ft long and 3 ft high. We had an access door on hinges that allowed us to get in and out of it to change the water and feed. The heat light was right there also..... triple secured of course. This allowed them to both be out in the coop and get to know the other hens.

We took the temp. brooder out about 2 weeks ago and put everyone together. But it got much warmer here in the south. Your probably still pretty cold up there.

 

[jaketheeggman]

I allready have a few heat lamps in the coop.

 

[greenfamilyfarms]

What are they eating? Have you noticed any blood in their feces? That's the most common thing (cocci) that can cause death in a young chick like that, especially when they look and act normal otherwise.

 

[jaketheeggman]

I have a bad feeling it maybe but not sure

. I hear that it can spread so i do not think it would be safe to put them in the coop with the big chickens because i do not want them to get sick to.

Thanks for the help
jake