Okay--I may have made a mistake. My Meyers chicks are 2 weeks old and much more advanced that the ones I had from Privett in the fall (lots of feathers and just a little fluff left). I am guessing it is because we are moving toward Spring--light and all. Anyway, I have been taking them out into the sunshine for about a half an hour during lunch the last three days. Today it is so warm (low 70's) that I put them in my chicken tractor with food and water and shade and sun and left them there while I am at work. In the brooder I have the heat lamp as far away as possible and they still avoid it. This morning one of them had jumped the brooder fence and was sitting inside the dog kennel, the others are flying up to roost above the lamp. Did I do a bad thing leaving them out from 2:00-5:30. Or should they be okay? Nothing can get to them and even outside they are migrating toward the shade. Worry......
Spring Chicks and Tractor Time
I wouldn't think so. You did say it was in the low 70's, didn't you? Since they have most of their feathers, I wouldn't worry. Just keep a check on them. :-))
If they are avioding the lamp, they probably don't need it during the warm part of the day - like granny goody said since they have feathers and all,they probably don't need it.
When I got home the temp was 60 degrees and they seemed a little chilled--especially the Marans--I rushed them into the lamp and they sprawled around under it--well, even now they are not really under it, but you can tell they appreciate the warmth They are eating and drinking. I think they are fine, but it may have been a little too stressful to suddenly be outdoors for three hours in cooler temps. I won't do it again until I get back from my work trip next Friday. The nice thing about Northern California is that is really cools down at night, even in the summer--but it makes it hard to know what the temp will be in the evening.
Well, we don't have to worry about that here in N.W. lower peninsula of Michigan...I ain't heated up enough to go out for us humans without at least a jacket on.
But, it's starting to look like maple-sugaring time. Probably within the next few weeks. LOL
I do know what you mean, granny, I lived for a few years as a child in St. Joseph MI. I think we had 3 months of non-snow a year, if you count the time it took to melt. Saw my first tornado there too. But it was so beautiful in the spring and summer...I lived in California until I was nine and Michigan was a revelation about what Spring really meant.
My chicks seem fine, they are fighting over thawed peas and corn:-)
Good!! :-)