If this old, how cold?

[SesameSt.Chicks]

Hello! I am new to the realm of chickens and I have raised these two chicks since they were about a week old. I received them from a friend, who has a bunch of feral chickens running around her house from her neighbor who has an overpopulation of them. So, I have 2 chicks 6-8 weeks old and I'd like to know what they are able to bear when I put them outside in a cage, a good-sized one. I live in Central TX, and winter is setting on, and so far I have only put them outside on sunshiney, mild days, brought them in at night - otherwise they are kept inside. Although I love them, it is getting rough having them inside; the dog crate they're in is getting too small for them as they grow, the smell is a lot, and they have begun to try to escape when I give them care. So, if I could know what temperatures they could stand outside in their cage, that would be GREAT.

If there is a way I could have them outside and be able to handle temperatures down to, maybe even 30 degrees this would be very helpful. Please advise how I could accomplish this without harm to them. Perhaps I need to have a "windbreak" for them if the temperature falls below a certain point?

I include pictures I took today in case they're helpful. That's the full-length of a 12in. ruler behind them.

This is Cookie Monster, she's always been more mature.


And this is Bertram.


(I don't actually know their genders though I call them he/she, etc.)

Thanks SO much!

 

[Whisper]

I'm in Central TX . . . I moved my 8 standard chicks out on the back porch three nights ago. They're 6 weeks old and almost fully feathered out (some fuzz under their wings, etc.) It's been downright chilly, and I put them in a wire dog crate with some cardboard tied around it to block the wind. They were fine all during the daytimes, and I turned on a heat lamp over one corner of the cage at night. They did just fine.

I moved all my chicks into the coop today, after blocking off the wire sections with heavy-duty plastic film. They seemed very comfortable and relaxed just before dusk, out of the wind. I turned the heat lamp on for the night's cold, but I figure they won't need that after a couple weeks. If it was my standard chickens alone, I wouldn't even do that, but I have 9 bantams as well, and they're tiny little things.