Too hot for 4 week old chicks?

[Gaettberry]

I’m just curious I have 4 chickens 2 are barred rocks and 2 are olive eggers, it’s about 95-100°F for the next few weeks, they’re currently 4 weeks old and I was planning on moving them outside into their coop in about a week or so. Would it be too hot for them or would they just eventually adjust?

I have 4 other shanks that are around 10-11 weeks old and they have been really hot in their bigger coop, I’ve been using electrolytes and letting them free range in the evening to try and cool off.

Any suggestions would be appreciated! Thanks!

 

[SplendidDogFeet]

I can't answer you, but I'm glad you asked this question because I'll be in the same position in just a couple of weeks, so I'm following closely. We're raising indoors and I'm nervous about the heat and humidity being really hard on them since it's getting over 100°.

 

[azygous]

All chickens, no matter what age, have trouble with very hot temps if they are exposed suddenly to it. If you can gradually get the chicks used to increasingly warmer temps over several days, they should then do okay as long as they have shade, plenty of water, and good air circulation.

The way to do that would be to take them outside in the cooler morning, which you should have already been doing for a couple weeks already, and bring them back in when it gets hot. Gradually expose them to longer periods when it's hot, and after three or four days, they should be ready. But watch them for signs of heat stroke.

The symptoms are walking wobbly and stumbling and falling over. If you see any chicken doing that, take them inside where it's cooler and put cool wet rags under their wing pits and give them sugar water with a pinch of salt and baking soda. Or give them Pedialyte or Gatoraid with the sugar in it to drink. Avoid very cold liquids, though. Room temp is best. One teaspoon sugar to one cup water.

 

[Kenya Mwangi]

I’m just curious I have 4 chickens 2 are barred rocks and 2 are olive eggers, it’s about 95-100°F for the next few weeks, they’re currently 4 weeks old and I was planning on moving them outside into their coop in about a week or so. Would it be too hot for them or would they just eventually adjust?

I have 4 other shanks that are around 10-11 weeks old and they have been really hot in their bigger coop, I’ve been using electrolytes and letting them free range in the evening to try and cool off.

Any suggestions would be appreciated! Thanks!

Hello Did your 4 week old chickens grow full feathers already? Chickens need their full feathers grown for that amount of hot weather.

 

[Mrs. K]

Chickens need their full feathers grown for that amount of hot weather.

I am not quite sure on your reasoning with this statement, but they do not need full feather in hot weather. Yesterday was 100 degrees, and my 3 week old chicks - none that are fully feathered and have been outside since day 1 with their mother without any ill effects.

I think chicks do need real sunshine and fresh air. If they have been raised in containment - getting them outside is a good thing. Generally they have much more space, and after a couple of hours that first day they will be tired. The next day they will be up for a lot more hours. And by the third day they really should not be coming back to the house.

They do need shade options, and sunny options all through the day, and the ability to move from one space to the other as needed. And they need a good source of water.

Mrs K

 

[Kenya Mwangi]

I am not quite sure on your reasoning with this statement, but they do not need full feather in hot weather. Yesterday was 100 degrees, and my 3 week old chicks - none that are fully feathered and have been outside since day 1 with their mother without any ill effects.

I think chicks do need real sunshine and fresh air. If they have been raised in containment - getting them outside is a good thing. Generally they have much more space, and after a couple of hours that first day they will be tired. The next day they will be up for a lot more hours. And by the third day they really should not be coming back to the house.

They do need shade options, and sunny options all through the day, and the ability to move from one space to the other as needed. And they need a good source of water.

Mrs K

Hello My reasoning is heat transfer. Fully feathered wings give shade to the skin and reduces heat absorption to the body. There are many modes of heat transfer and insulation that you can see on the internet. They apply to the chicken feathers and to the baby chicken without feathers.