For many people, when they are starting or constructing their chicken coops, they are going to find that the baby chicks that they are getting are going to require quite a bit of care. Baby chicks are not meant to put be put immediately into the chicken coop, as doing this is going to ensure that the chick is not going to make it.
This is why the person will find that they have to make sure that they are caring for the baby chick’s right before they place them in the chicken coop and reap the benefits of having their own chicken coop. The first four weeks of life the chicks are going to have to be checked on around five times a day.
This is why many people put the baby chicks in their own home until they are ready to fend on their own. They will find that this will make it easier to check on the chicks and for the family to get to know them.
You can pick them up and cuddle them during this time, which may make it better for the person down the road when they need to get the eggs from the chicks. They are going to start off rather small, however, during the first four weeks of life they are going to grow in size tremendously, which is a way to tell whether they are ready to go into the coop or not.
I recommend all my blog readers to download the awesome Chicken Coop Plans from BuildingAChickenCoop.com. Besides several detailed blueprints, there is also a very informative guide included on how to construct the best chicken coops and how to take good care of your hens in general. You can get these in-depth step-by-step building instructions and chicken coop designs here.
An important factor to consider during the first four weeks of life is that they are going to need a heat source. Most people buy red bulbs and put these above the area that is holding the chicks, so that they are not going to get too cold. During this time, the temperature should start out at 95 degrees, and decrease by five degrees each week that they are being held in the home to get them ready for the outside temperatures.
Once the four weeks are up, you will find it best to still monitor the chicks frequently until you are sure that they are ready to be outside on their own. This means monitoring them while they are having yard time and checking on them throughout the day that they are in the coop.
Adapting the chicks to living outside is easier if the person introduces them to the outside during the time that they are being held in the home. And it can be great fun for the kids to do this.