What is the lowest temp that almost fully feathered chicks can be at? (5 weeks)

[chixcoop]

I was considering if I could put the chicks outside today in a little pen, but I was wondering how cold they cold they could go. I wanted to put them by the adults to get acquainted with each other, but I was concerned with the low temperature.They have feathers pretty much everywhere except for their head, and lower neck.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

At five weeks they should be around 60-70 degrees.

 

[chixcoop]

At five weeks they should be around 60-70 degrees.

Can they be outside at 50 degrees for only half hour, because they are almost fully feathered, or is that even too cold.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I would try it, block the wind, see how they do, if they clump and cry a lot they are cold though their first time out they might be more scared. When a hen raises her chicks they spend most of the day away from her and they thrive, but yours are probably use to warmer temperatures so start slow like you said and get them used to it.

 

[aart]

It's more about what temps they are used to than a specific temperature....drastic changes can stress them.


Make them a 'huddle box', put it in the brooder after turning off the heat(you might have to 'persuade' them to use it) then move it out to the coop with them.
Cardboard box with a bottom a little bigger than what they need to cuddle next to each other without piling and tall enough for them to stand in.
Cut an opening on one side a couple inches from bottom and big enough for 2-3 of them to go thru at once.
Fill the bottom with some pine shavings an inch or so deep.
This will give them a cozy place to sleep/rest, block any drafts and help hold their body heat in.

 

[chixcoop]

It's more about what temps they are used to than a specific temperature....drastic changes can stress them.


Make them a 'huddle box', put it in the brooder after turning off the heat(you might have to 'persuade' them to use it) then move it out to the coop with them.
Cardboard box with a bottom a little bigger than what they need to cuddle next to each other without piling and tall enough for them to stand in.
Cut an opening on one side a couple inches from bottom and big enough for 2-3 of them to go thru at once.
Fill the bottom with some pine shavings an inch or so deep.
This will give them a cozy place to sleep/rest, block any drafts and help hold their body heat in.

Thank you!

 

[bawkbawkbawk]

I have three 5-week-old chicks who spend the day outside from about 9 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. Our weather has been in the mid-60's to mid-70's. It rained one day and they did okay with that, too - the pen they are in has a roof on it so they didn't get wet.

We have a small doghouse in their section of the pen and I've noticed they will go in there when the wind comes up.

At night they come inside to their cardboard brooder. They are almost fully-feathered - still some little patches of down on their heads. They are standard-size fowl; I'd say they are a bit larger than robins at this point.

I've been keeping their heat lamp on at night but am starting to wonder if I can eliminate it soon. But there's no heat in the room they are in so it probably gets down into the mid-low 50's. Will they be okay without the light or should I keep it going for another week or two?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

At 5 weeks they should be around 65 degrees, I personally would keep it on for another week or two, otherwise you could try it and check on them after dark, they will probably huddle together for warmth, but three might not be enough yet.

 

[bawkbawkbawk]

@oldhenlikesdogs thank you for your reply. My intuition says you are right. They don't really seem to hate the light at night even as big as they are. Next time I do this I am going to make sure I have a thermometer - I winged it this time and it would have been a lot easier to know what the temp is. I wonder if there's an app for that...

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Mine always seem vaguely addicted and comforted by their light, it's kind of like their momma, they will cry pitifully when you first stop it. You could start by raising it higher or putting a lower watt bulb when you are ready to wean them off. I sometimes have just shut it off, but they will usually have some other source of light for some comfort, like a night light, I guess it depends how you feel about them being uncomfortable, I like to keep the stress lower on mine, so I sometimes cater to their wishes, even though it's probably not necessary.