Transitioning Pullets to Outdoors

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Cream City Chick

Cream City Chick

In the Brooder
9 Years
May 28, 2010
21
0
22
Milwaukee
Hi there,

I have two Easter Egger pullets from My Pet Chicken. They were hatched on August 15th so are just over 8 weeks and fully feathered and happy / healthy. Right now they are in my basement which is about 65 degrees. I would like to transition them to their outdoor coop but am not sure how much temperature change they can take. I have been putting them outside when it is around 50 during the day and bringing them in at night.

Current temperatures outside is about 45 during the day and just to freezing at night.

They will be in a stagecoach (http://www.chickenmobilestagecoach.com) outside. So the evenings will be draft-free but not insulated. There will only be two of them so not alot of mass huddle heat.

Is it ok to put them outside permanently?

Thanks for any / all input!!
 
I don't think I trasistion mine slowely or even how your supposed to but this is what I do....first couple weeks there in my house with heat lamp then in a big outdoor brooder that's 8 feet long with heat lamp on one side, eventually heat lamp is off during day on at night....then just off on warmer (ish) nights...to fully off
 
Thanks for the quick response. Just nervous because I have only raised spring chicks so have gotten them to transition out during nice warm weather
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I dont really have the right setup to supply supplemental heat out in the coop.
 
The sooner you transition them the more comfy they'll be. Fully feathered they can handle cold. If you wait it will be colder when you make the move and it will be even harder on them.
I have eight 5 week olds outside (unheated building) now with only a heat lamp at night. It's 47 now, 50s during the day and getting into the 30s tonight but they've been out there from day 1 with a single heat lamp in a 4' X 4' space and they weaned themselves pretty quick.
I never put chicks in the house unless I only have 1 or 2. A heat lamp(or 2) in an outbuilding is all they need. I just provide a warm spot and plenty of cool space so they can find their comfort zone.
 
Last edited:
OK - I think I will just have to bite the bullet and do it. As with most things - this will probably be more stressful on me than it will on the birds.

Thanks for youre advice
smile.png
 
It isn't going to get any warmer, so take the plunge. They will be fine. The cold nights this time of year serve Nature's purpose. Just as the mammals all grow shaggy winter coats, so too the chicken's will be forced to "feather up" and produce good down to keep themselves warm. By the time real winter comes, they will be HUGE and very fluffy. They will do just fine.

Got your roosts in order so that can sleep side by side?
 
The roosts are all set up. It will be just the two of them huddling. I have 4 others that are about 6 months old. The other four are in a separate "stagecoach". There just isnt enough room in one stagecoach for all 6 chickens - and I would be afraid of these littler ones getting picked on and unable to get away in such a small space.

I probably just have to follow the rule of going by how the chicken is acting to tell if its to cold for them to tolerate. Active, eating, running, scratching = good. Puffed up and sitting still = bad.
 

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