10 week olds going out into their new coop soon...but it's cold!

[JellyBeanCee]

I know it's been asked a million times, but here goes a million and one....

I have three 10 week olds (an Australorp, an EE and a NHR) who will be going out into their new coop in the next week or so. They've been in my house up until now & temps have probably only gotten down into the high 60's in my house. We've had below freezing temps this week, so I'm not sure how bad a shock that will be for them. Suggestions, tips, words of advice?

 

[potluck]

I'm no expert but I think a more gredual change would be better. Can you put them in the basement or garage for a week or so. If so I'd go ahead and do it now so when you put them out in another week or so it won't be such a big shock.

 

[keckels]

I'm planning to go from basement room with light; basement no light; garage with light; garage no light - then see what the outside temps are at that time before making my decision from there. Gonna try to acclimate them slowly, but then again we can have some severe cold here so they may be in garage for some time.

But I'm no expert either.

 

[UncleTommy]

they'll be fine. Make sure the coop doesn't have any drafts and you're good. I've got a bunch of 8 week olds out in low 30s, they do alright, heck I think it was 29 a couple of nights ago. At 6 weeks they went from brooder that got down to 60 out to the coop, now mind you that the temp was a little warmer 2 weeks ago, i'd say mid 40s. Coops are warmer than the outside temp plus by 6 weeks they are usually feathered out as it is.

 

[JellyBeanCee]

Unfortunately I have no basement or garage. I have indoors or outdoors. That's my worry. It's gonna be a big change. Plus we've got lots of rain in the forecast, along with the chilly temps.

 

[Stephanie739]

Most of my young ones are about 7 1/2 weeks old. They have been out in the coop full time for over a week now. The temps have ranged from 30s-60s. They have been going out to the run/coop since they were about 3-4 weeks old to sit in the sun. I have been checking on them during the night on a couple of the colder nights, and have placed milk jugs filled with very hot water in the crate with them to snuggle next to. Up until just a few days ago, they had been staying in the dog crate (coop within a coop) and I kept a blanket over it for extra warmth with much hay. Now they like to roost with the big chicks. I checked on them last night up on the perch, and they were snuggled close to one another and their bodies were very warm. The temperature was pretty low last night, low 30s I believe.

 

[sheila3935]

Mine will soon be 12 weeks old. They were hatched Sept 11th. They have been outside since day 1 but with a broody. They have been on their own since they were about 6 weeks. the temps have been as low as 24 here and they are doing fime. I do have a heatlamp but its up high and just barely takes the chill off. Mainly its on for the bantams that they are in with right now. I have polish and D'anvers that dont do as well in the cold so I provide them with just a little heat.

 

[JellyBeanCee]

I guess I'm just worried about the drastic change for them. The only way I might be able to make it a cooler transition is to close off the vent & door to the room they're in now and maybe crack the window, but I would probably freeze my own tail off in the house if I did that. Brrrrr....

Thank you all for your comments. I know they'll be fine. Just a concerned "human hen".

 

[keckels]

30's would be mild here. We've had days already where we haven't made it to 30.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Austin, TX? Put them out. You could have put them out weeks ago, but that's water over the dam. They'll be just fine. They snuggle and keep each warm. There is no threat of smothering, as there is with week old chicks. If not now? When?