35 degree evenings, time to go outside

[jgaepi]

I just want to double check with everyone, my chicks are 7.5 weeks old, and are big footballs now, can I put them outside with 55 degree days and 35 degree nights? No heat lamp inside the hen house.

The are stinking up my garage, dust everywhere, wife cranky, you know where I am going with this. Any concerns? Thank you.

 

[lilchick]

I am assuming you still have heat on them in the garage? That age seems young to be put out without a heat lamp.

I have several bantam cochins still in my basement because it gets down to zero here in Indiana and they have not had time to adjust to weather changes. So I fight the dust and will move them out in the Spring.

You made it this far with your chickens and would hate to hear they froze out in the hen house!

I do not like using heat lamps because of fire hazard but have used the oil filled radiator heaters to warm my coop.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

If fully feathered, they're ready to go. Those temps aren't that cool. If it got well below freezing, I might give them a lamp at night.
I start mine in unheated building at about 3 days with a heat lamp or 2, regardless of temps with plenty of cool space.
By the time they get that age, they've already weaned themselves from the lamp and don't use it.
A broody will only sit with them 24/7 for the first week or so, after that they're running around with the flock and run under mamma to warm up and then run around again.

These are 2-5 week old birds staying away from the heat.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/gallery/image/view/id/4802283/album/6135523

 

[SteveBaz]

at almost 8 weeks they should be almost if not fully feathered. The feather process takes lots of proteins and vitamins. Feed them medicated chick food up to 22 weeks and add liquid vitamins into the water like VitaSol and add organic apple cider vinegar to the water. Put DE food grade (diatomaceous earth) in the wood chips in a sand bath tub and in the foods they eat. Offer eggs that are hard boiled and scrambled, cottage cheese and a variety of cheeses, lots of greens with leaf and fruits but no citrus. They will never need heat again in there life. Folks here on the board that live in Alaska do not use heat after week 8 and in your mild climate you should not either. Best of luck.

 

[jeepguy982001]

i put mine out at 8 wks and they been fine. i gave them heat for 3 or 4 days at night to keep the coup temp up to around 40. but they've been fine without it and stay outside if its around 30. Its hard to put them out and the only reason i gave them heat was cuz they went from inside 70 deg to outs side 30-40 but they are doing better and eating more.

 

[stephanie1992]

mine just hit 4 weeks old and have been outside for a week already. i put them out as soon as there backs are fully feathered. they were outside but in there cage on rainy days and are fine and healthy. i just coverd there cage at night on the rainy days