When exactly is "fully feathered"

[Doughpat]

Hi all,
I've got two Barred Rock hens that are about 9-10 weeks old. I've got them outside now, and we're expecting temperatures into the teens this weekend. I think they are "fully feathered", but I'm not real sure what that exactly means. They dont have any more downy featherse on their outside, but when I lift up a wing I do see a tiny bit of skin. Looks like their arm pit, really.

I'm just concerned that they're going to freeze out there. They snuggle up with each other, but unfortunately don't snuggle up with the full-grown RIR and silkie that also live in their coop.

Thanks...

 

[silkiechicken]

10 weeks old is a bit young to put with adults, but if they are getting along, hey it works!

As long as it's pretty draft free and they aren't piling up in a corner, they should be fine. Biggest danger of cold and young birds is not freezing to death, but smothering each other to death in corners.

 

[Doughpat]

Yeah...the bigger girls don't really like the young ones, but they aren't hurting them. They've been raised in close proximity (i.e. on the other side of the chicken wire).

They do get awful close to each other when they're sleeping--I figured that was a good thing. But I don't think they'll smother each other (there's only two of them).

Really though, how can you tell if a chicken is too cold?