Thought I killed them!

[dacasodivine]

We had a cold front come through yesterday and out temps were expected to be in the 20s. I have the babies in a mini hoop house covered with a tarp. I added another tarp and added more shavings. The heat lamps are positioned over the bottom half of a large dog crate to help hold in the heat and block wind. They've been out a few days and have been thriving. They were 3 weeks old yesterday.

I got up this morning and went to check on them. The back of the crate is toward the opening so I couldn't really see them and only a couple heads popped up. Usually they are already milling around or bunches of heads will pop up. I thought for sure I had killed them! They were all snuggled up for warmth and had been asleep.

Chicks! When they're not busy being cute, they worry you half to death.

 

[dewey]

They do have a way of keeping us very attentive.

Glad they made it ok. Mine were being transitioned from summer to fall temps (nothing like your temps) and I never fussed and worried so much over chicks as those, lol. Got some needed comfort from the great folks here. My mini hoop coop had tarps and layers of heavy blanket, with a box and lamp at one end. It kept them warm and kept the winds out. They're older now but with the cold snap we had I still tarped them to keep the wind off. Yep, still fussin' over 'em, lol.

 

[dwegg]

that is so true...there has been a number of times I have walked past the fishtank brooder in the kitchen and my heart has stopped cause I see the little buggers lying sideways all spreadout like the were dead...

and WOW..your 3 week old chicks are outside in 20F already? My 7 week olds are still in my basement under a heat lamp...I do take them out to their 'grow-out' coop during the days that are warm and sunny but take them back in at about 5pm... I think i ma just to chicken to put them out while we are still gtting snow..that is impressive...

 

[dacasodivine]

I have new information. When I got up the electric was out. Probably rolling blackouts. I asked my son how long it had been out and he said about 5 minutes. I found out later he had only been up 5 minutes and the electric had been out then so no idea how long we were without electric and the chicks' heat lamps were off. No wonder they were so cold. They're up and about now and seem no worse for wear.

dwegg, it's not normal for us here in se houston to have temps that low. VERY unusual. With the tarps on and the lamps over the dog crate bottom, it has been very cozy out there. I crawled in last night to check and it felt very comfortable, otherwise they would have been brought in for the night.

dewey, I might have to scrounge up an unused blanket and put it between the tarps for tonight. It's supposed to be cold again so we might have rolling blackouts again in the morning.

 

[BooBear]

HI
I have 8 week old silkies in the big coop. Their grow out pen is setup inside it.
Took one of those fiber pads for dogs n cats that help hold body heat, put it in a flannel pillow case and stuck it in their little hutch, covered it with pine shavings.
Ofcourse the silly chicks won't use the ramp ro go in so I have to go out at roost time to tuck them in.
They start coo purring once they all find their spot.

 

[dewey]

Oh wow, I didn't know they'd been without heat, so especially glad they did ok! I use those heavy moving blankets...might find them for a couple of bucks on craigslist or a thrift store. There was a town here the other day that had a rolling black out (first ever) and it lasted 5 minutes, hopefully yours was short like that.

 

[dacasodivine]

I have a horse blanket I'm going to throw on tonight and put some hay in and around their box. That should help. I have no idea how long the electric was out. It was out when I got up but came on about a minute later. My husband left around 5:30. It was on then and off at 7:00 so could have been off up to an hour and a half.