2mo old silkie and bantam chicks in 15-20degF weather

[cephalophile]

Hi all!

We got a batch of chicks in Oct (due to a shipping incident they came way later than we had planned). Regardless, we have 7 lovely little bantam babies: D'Uccle, Olive Egger, Polish and 4 silkies. They're all fully feathered at this point, but they're in that weird, lanky teen phase. So they don't have much body mass. They've been living outside in their coop the past two weeks or so just fine with temps down to 30deg at night (there were a few 20s nights we brought them in for just to be on the safe side).

The forecast for next week has some nights down to 15ish degrees. Honestly, these temps are uncharacteristically cold for our area (of course that happens this year...). Will they be okay out in the cold at this age? I know they'd have no problems as fully grown adults, but their lean build at the moment concerns me. They do live in a draft free, deep bedded coop. And they sleep all in a feathery pile in a corner (though they have roosting bars, should they choose!).

*Pics because I can't resist

 

[Debbie292d]

I breed/raise silkies here and for the most part, those temps adults would be fine, but that's getting pretty cold for eight week old chicks.

We have some young ones growing up in a pen with a hutch and have a Cozy Coop heater in there. That's a radiant panel heater that doesn't get hot, but if they are cold, they can lean up to it or lay/perch by it. The cuddle puddle they're doing works fine too, but at so low temps for an extended period of time, it takes a lot out of them trying to stay warm, and that's when illnesses can creep up.

 

[cephalophile]

I breed/raise silkies here and for the most part, those temps adults would be fine, but that's getting pretty cold for eight week old chicks.

We have some young ones growing up in a pen with a hutch and have a Cozy Coop heater in there. That's a radiant panel heater that doesn't get hot, but if they are cold, they can lean up to it or lay/perch by it. The cuddle puddle they're doing works fine too, but at so low temps for an extended period of time, it takes a lot out of them trying to stay warm, and that's when illnesses can creep up.

Thank you! Unfortunately we can’t get electricity out to the coop. Glad I didn’t pack up the brooder. Back inside they come, lol.