Can You Keep Young (8 wk) Chickens in Freezing Climates?

[KatyushaB]

Thank you for telling me that, right now it is very important that I get different opinions right now I do not know what I am going to do but I will keep all of these thoughts into consideration. I have a breath question, if you WERE to move the chickens from brooder to outside, what would be the best way to do it? I'm sure doing from 95 Degrees to 47 will be a sudden shock. What is your input on that?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

You are suppose to lower the brooder temperature by 5 degrees a week until it's the same as the outside temperatures. I would plan on moving them to the coop and running a heat lamp, but probably not until around 3-4 weeks at least, but it can be hard to wean them off due to the decreasing temperature.

I haven't done it, but in theory it sounds vaguely complicated and can depend on how fast winter comes in and how fast it gets cold. Worse case scenario is you are running a heat lamp for most of the winter.

Sometimes improper lighting can interfere with sexual maturity, making them mature too young and causing them to lay smaller eggs. It's always best for hens to reach sexual maturity under decreasing light of fall.

So running a heat lamp 24 hours a day after the 3 week can be a detriment.

 

[bobbi-j]

I'm in MN. I would not get chicks this time of year. I would rather take my time, put a lot of thought and planning into the coop (perhaps you've already done that), get that built and get chicks in the spring. I also don't brood in the house. Dander and odor. Even just a few chicks will put out a lot of both. I got my chicks last spring at the end of March. It got cold (into the high 20's a couple of nights) but they did fine in the coop in the nice little brooder box DH built for me. By the time they had outgrown the brooder, they didn't need supplemental light anymore as the temperatures were steadily increasing.

As far as a heat lamp if it gets below zero, I don't use one. They are much better off with consistent temperatures, good ventilation and shelter from the elements.

 

[aart]

Thank you for telling me that, right now it is very important that I get different opinions right now I do not know what I am going to do but I will keep all of these thoughts into consideration. I have a breath question, if you WERE to move the chickens from brooder to outside, what would be the best way to do it? I'm sure doing from 95 Degrees to 47 will be a sudden shock. What is your input on that?

You don't keep them at 95 for more than the first 24 hours...actually they don't even need that high a temp at first, maybe 90.
You can acclimate them to lower temps pretty quick...the '5 degrees a week' thing is baloney.
It depends on how cool you keep them ambient temp in the brooding area, you could brood in 50 degree room as long as they have a lamp or pad that's warm enough. There is much variability in how to 'heat' chicks.....that's a whole other subject you'll need to research...I'll paste my blurb on that down below.

I agree tho, for a beginner who's coop is not yet built.....wait until spring to get chicks.
There's a lot to learn from reading and hands on experience, the first year can be like getting a sip of water from a firehose.
It's much easier to correct and snafus when it's warm out than in the middle of a harsh winter climate.

Keep reading and planning/building your coop over the winter, you'll be much better prepared in spring for chicks.
One thing chickens will teach you is tenacious patience....might as well start that lesson now.




Here's my notes on chick heat, hope something in there might help:
They need to be pretty warm(~85-90F on the brooder floor right under the lamp and 10-20 degrees cooler at the other end of brooder) for the first day or two, especially if they have been shipped, until they get to eating, drinking and moving around well. But after that it's best to keep them as cool as possible for optimal feather growth and quicker acclimation to outside temps. A lot of chick illnesses are attributed to too warm of a brooder. I do think it's a good idea to use a thermometer on the floor of the brooder to check the temps, especially when new at brooding, later I still use it but more out of curiosity than need.

The best indicator of heat levels is to watch their behavior:
If they are huddled/piled up right under the lamp and cheeping very loudly, they are too cold.
If they are spread out on the absolute edges of the brooder as far from the lamp as possible, panting and/or cheeping very loudly, they are too hot.
If they sleep around the edge of the lamp calmly just next to each other and spend time running all around the brooder they are juuuust right!

The lamp is best at one end of the brooder with food/water at the other cooler end of the brooder, so they can get away from the heat or be under it as needed. Wattage of 'heat' bulb depends on size of brooder and ambient temperature of room brooder is in. Regular incandescent bulbs can be used, you might not need a 'heat bulb'. You can get red colored incandescent bulbs at a reptile supply source. A dimmer extension cord is an excellent way to adjust the output of the bulb to change the heat without changing the height of the lamp.


Or you could go with a heat plate, commercially made or DIY: https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/pseudo-brooder-heater-plate


Huddle Box
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.

 

[KatyushaB]

who's coop is not yet built....

I am realizing that the fact that I have yet to build my coop is becoming a worry to many people. Which is fine (do not think I am upset that you are worried) your worries might be what save my chicks. I also think it is a good thing to worry about. But when I started this post it was more of a 'What if' or a "What if I get chicks in the winter AND have a furnished coop" If my coop is not ready by the time winter rolls around, of course I will not get chickens.

When I was asking my question, it was me assuming I had already gotten my coop built. I am not going to try to hurry through my coop simply to get chickens sooner if it's obvious more time is needed I will wait. It would be nice if I finished by winter, but if it proves impossible (as I said before) I will wait and plan for chicks in the spring. I am NOT getting chicks until my coop is built and I am satisfied with it. Period. My original post question was if it was okay to keep young chickens in the winter with a coop.

I appreciate your worries tho, the fact that you were concerned meant that you knew what you were doing and cared for the well being of my chickens. If nobody worried my chickens would end up dead more then once. Thank you all or helping a beginner chicken keeper out.

 

[QueenMisha]

I am realizing that the fact that I have yet to build my coop is becoming a worry to many people. Which is fine (do not think I am upset that you are worried) your worries might be what save my chicks. I also think it is a good thing to worry about. But when I started this post it was more of a 'What if' or a "What if I get chicks in the winter AND have a furnished coop" If my coop is not ready by the time winter rolls around, of course I will not get chickens. 

When I was asking my question, it was me assuming I had already gotten my coop built. I am not going to try to hurry through my coop simply to get chickens sooner if it's obvious more time is needed I will wait. It would be nice if I finished by winter, but if it proves impossible (as I said before) I will wait and plan for chicks in the spring. I am NOT getting chicks until my coop is built and I am satisfied with it. Period. My original post question was if it was okay to keep young chickens in the winter with a coop. 

I appreciate your worries tho, the fact that you were concerned meant that you knew what you were doing and cared for the well being of my chickens. If nobody worried my chickens would end up dead more then once. Thank you all or helping a beginner chicken keeper out.

This is the kind of attitude I love to see in a beginner. Open to advice, happy to learn, and understanding that even if we sound harsh at times, it's because we want what's best for you and your flock. I think you've got some great advice from some very experienced members here. And although my position is still that it is plenty possible to raise chicks in the winter, I think @aart made a great point above:

There's a lot to learn from reading and hands on experience, the first year can be like getting a sip of water from a firehose.
It's much easier to correct and snafus when it's warm out than in the middle of a harsh winter climate.

I may raise tons of chicks in the winter, but I've had ten years experience and this is only your first year, so your set up is still of course untested and there may be things that haven't even occurred to you ask yet. By this I mean to say, if you do get your coop built soon enough and still want chicks going into winter, continue doing what you're doing - ask questions, research thoroughly, make sure you really have all your ducks in a row, and prepare for the possibility something still might go wrong, and make sure that preparation includes the fact that it will be very cold and very icky outside.

 

[KatyushaB]

This is the kind of attitude I love to see in a beginner. Open to advice, happy to learn, and understanding that even if we sound harsh at times, it's because we want what's best for you and your flock. I think you've got some great advice from some very experienced members here. And although my position is still that it is plenty possible to raise chicks in the winter, I think @aart made a great point above:
I may raise tons of chicks in the winter, but I've had ten years experience and this is only your first year, so your set up is still of course untested and there may be things that haven't even occurred to you ask yet. By this I mean to say, if you do get your coop built soon enough and still want chicks going into winter, continue doing what you're doing - ask questions, research thoroughly, make sure you really have all your ducks in a row, and prepare for the possibility something still might go wrong, and make sure that preparation includes the fact that it will be very cold and very icky outside.

Thank you for your kind words. I believe you are right, it is impossible to tell what the future will hold, many things will change, and because of that change I will change also. I so not yet know what I am going to do, and it will probably remain that way for quite some time. But I do know that all the information you all gave me is going to help me in more ways then one. It is almost impossible to get this many opinions and thoughts in one place. I will continue to ask questions, and research and maybe with my experience I will be able to help others the way you all have helped me, thank you.

You said that you have raised many chicks outside in winter. My question here is: How do you get them used to the outside temperature @oldhenlikesdogs said that you have lower the temperature 5 degrees per day, what is your input on that. You seem to have experience, so what do you think?

 

[QueenMisha]

Thank you for your kind words. I believe you are right, it is impossible to tell what the future will hold, many things will change, and because of that change I will change also. I so not yet know what I am going to do, and it will probably remain that way for quite some time. But I do know that all the information you all gave me is going to help me in more ways then one. It is almost impossible to get this many opinions and thoughts in one place. I will continue to ask questions, and research and maybe with my experience I will be able to help others the way you all have helped me, thank you. 

You said that you have raised many chicks outside in winter. My question here is: How do you get them used to the outside temperature @oldhenlikesdogs
 said that you have lower the temperature 5 degrees per day, what is your input on that. You seem to have experience, so what do you think?

Honestly, I offer heat until they're fully feathered and go by their behavior. In ten years, I've never owned a thermometer for my brooders. Doesn't matter temp it really is, it just matters that the chicks seem healthy and happy. Almost all my chicks start off in my bedroom, regardless of the time of year, but they stay only for those critical 2-3 weeks of development. After that, they go outside. Sometimes into the coop, sometimes just onto the back porch. I use Brinsea brooders for heat - I've had a brooder fire before and I think I'm actually lucky it occurred in my bedroom, because if it had been in the coop I wouldn't have caught it and would no longer have one. I've sworn off heat lamps since then, and prefer safe alternatives. Not to mention, the brooder provides an actual safe "cave" that blocks out wind and gives them somewhere to huddle. I place it on one side of the brooder and pile shavings around it. The chicks have a completely safe, warm space to enter should they need it, and plenty of room to roam when they don't. I find it mimics a natural broody hen very well; they stay under it for five minutes, then run around for five minutes, then return for five minutes, and so on. I see the same thing happen, invariably, when my dear hen Misha decides to brood and hatch in the dead middle of winter.

I keep the brooder on as long as they need it - during the summer I'm happy to move them out by six weeks or so, but in the winter I offer it until eight to ten. If they need it, they'll use it, and once they don't anymore, it's ready to remove.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Whether your chicks will thrive under your local conditions mostly depends on your level of experience and dedication. In other words Queen Misha & oldhenlikesdogs are both correct. Only you can give yourself the answer that you need. Sorry this is the best that I can offer but I think that it is 100% truthful. Good luck on what ever path you chose.

 

[centrarchid]

I can raise chicks in the coldest weather and outdoors. That being said they are not as tough as adults until more than 20 weeks of age. Pay particular attention to keeping them out of wind, off wet ground, and ideally where they can seek shelter in relatively thick straw. I would also provide supplemental lighting in the early AM as they deplete their crops when cold much faster than adults do. Early lights on allows for shorter time after PM feeding before feeding back up. Make certain they have adequate grit and liquid water at least two times each day.

Keep them off metal.