3 weeks and outside in tractor-42F overnight???

[Minky]

lI have 25 meat birds (white rock Cornish X type birds) they are mostly feathered out on the wings but still have some fluff on heads, neck and body.
I have a chicken tractor I NEED them to go into today. They are stinking up the sunroom. They havent been given heat in weeks but they are in a 3 season room, in a freezer box brooder.

How can I keep them warm and cozy overnight- we have lows in the 40's this week-
The chicken tractor is 8x8 and one end is solid plywood to block wind etc...
What shall I put in there to keep them warm. Will they manage ?
I was thinking a short cardboard box, with no bottom (theyd be on the grass) and make sure it has air holes all around it and 3 or 4 openings??? but they can be so "stampede"- prone, Id hate for anyone to get squished.

Their weights are about 1 lb, 1oz each.

Thanks for any advice!!

 

[Northern.Ontario]

lI have 25 meat birds (white rock Cornish X type birds) they are mostly feathered out on the wings but still have some fluff on heads, neck and body.
I have a chicken tractor I NEED them to go into today. They are stinking up the sunroom. They havent been given heat in weeks but they are in a 3 season room, in a freezer box brooder.

How can I keep them warm and cozy overnight- we have lows in the 40's this week-
The chicken tractor is 8x8 and one end is solid plywood to block wind etc...
What shall I put in there to keep them warm. Will they manage ?
I was thinking a short cardboard box, with no bottom (theyd be on the grass) and make sure it has air holes all around it and 3 or 4 openings??? but they can be so "stampede"- prone, Id hate for anyone to get squished.

Their weights are about 1 lb, 1oz each.

Thanks for any advice!!

Do you have a garage or other outbuilding you could make into a coop? I feel your temperatures. We were just below freezing last night (high 20's F), near Timmins,ON. My 3 day old chicks were all huddled and cozy under their heat lamps. They only weigh 2 ounces!

Picture with the thermometer was at 6:30am this morning. The other picture was from 9:30pm last night.

 

[Minky]

Nope they are going outside!


wow, thats a LOT of meat chicks!

 

[Northern.Ontario]

Keep them guarded against drafts and on dry ground. My 109 wont go outside until fully feathered (4-5 weeks old).

 

[Chickiemom25]

lI have 25 meat birds (white rock Cornish X type birds) they are mostly feathered out on the wings but still have some fluff on heads, neck and body.
I have a chicken tractor I NEED them to go into today. They are stinking up the sunroom. They havent been given heat in weeks but they are in a 3 season room, in a freezer box brooder.

How can I keep them warm and cozy overnight- we have lows in the 40's this week-
The chicken tractor is 8x8 and one end is solid plywood to block wind etc...
What shall I put in there to keep them warm. Will they manage ?
I was thinking a short cardboard box, with no bottom (theyd be on the grass) and make sure it has air holes all around it and 3 or 4 openings??? but they can be so "stampede"- prone, Id hate for anyone to get squished.

Their weights are about 1 lb, 1oz each.

Thanks for any advice!!

can you put down a layer of straw? Straw is a good ground insulator. Make sure they can get out of the draft.

 

[abraga]

lI have 25 meat birds (white rock Cornish X type birds) they are mostly feathered out on the wings but still have some fluff on heads, neck and body.
I have a chicken tractor I NEED them to go into today. They are stinking up the sunroom. They havent been given heat in weeks but they are in a 3 season room, in a freezer box brooder.

How can I keep them warm and cozy overnight- we have lows in the 40's this week-
The chicken tractor is 8x8 and one end is solid plywood to block wind etc...
You said the temp is in the 40s? They should be fine to go out if they are feathered. You can add a bunch of hay, shavings or straw for the to snuggle in. They will also huddle together. I have my youngsters out between 3-4 wks..sometimes it goes down to the 30s, I provide a heat lamp. Feed them good before nightfall..full crops keep them warm. However..i think since they are feathered..they will do fine ..in fact..they will be glad to get out.

 

[JDN]

Extenstion cord and hang the bulb?

I had one really cold night after I moved mine to the coop and I shined the heat lamp from the outside up on a window that night...I figured that allowed them to get a few inches or four feet away...

 

[abraga]

I use heat lamps in my serama coops during the winter..i hang the lamps and secure the cord and hooks so they can't be knocked down. Also have a few smaller coops. Some of them I just put a heavy movers blankets over the top to hold heat generated by the youngsters.

 

[Minky]

Im not too worried. I put a 3 sided cardboard box in the tractor, upside down (so it has a roof but no floor). The tractor is tarped loosely with big rocks. They will either be fine or I will learn a lesson... but from what Ive seen, they are very hot blooded creatures.

 

[Northern.Ontario]

Im not too worried. I put a 3 sided cardboard box in the tractor, upside down (so it has a roof but no floor). The tractor is tarped loosely with big rocks. They will either be fine or I will learn a lesson... but from what Ive seen, they are very hot blooded creatures.

How are they doing? Any pictures you could post?