45 degrees too cold at night for 8 week old chickens?

[jojorose8]

With a heat plate they wean themselves, at least down to ambient temperature. They just stay away from it as long as they have room to avoid it. How old are yours and what are your nighttime lows? Are they outside yet?

Several times I've had five-week-olds go through nights below freezing. Not bitter cold, in the mid 20's. Mine are raised outside in a big brooder so they are acclimated. The coop has great ventilation up high and good breeze protection down low. It can be a little rough going direct from a tropical climate like the inside of your house directly to really cold temperatures, but I would not hesitate at 6 weeks and a low of 45F as long as the coop had decent ventilation and good breeze protection.

They are 6 weeks. The nighttime lows are about 45 here in VT. They're still in the house as the coop is not quite done (should be done today). The heat is still on in the house and set at 65. They don't seem to use the heat plate anymore at night. I do put them outside to free range during the day and 50 degrees doesn't seem to bother them. I was planning to put them in the coop tomorrow with the heat plate out there until it stays over 55 at night. Does this sound good? The coop has 3" ventilation around the roof line and the walls are insulated below that so they will be protected from wind.

 

[Ridgerunner]

As long as you are not worried about a fire from the electricity (I'm thinking more about the wires running to the heat plate) you can do it that way. But you've seen how they handle 50 degrees. They are ready for 45.

It won't hurt anything. It will probably make you feel better, which has some value, but the chicks don't need it.

 

[jojorose8]

As long as you are not worried about a fire from the electricity (I'm thinking more about the wires running to the heat plate) you can do it that way. But you've seen how they handle 50 degrees. They are ready for 45.

It won't hurt anything. It will probably make you feel better, which has some value, but the chicks don't need it.

Ok, good to know. I don't want them to be cold and unhappy. Poor little babies...hahaha.

 

[Devonne Short]

My are in a rabbit hutch until I get a coop. They are 8 weeks and have been out in the 30s but tonight its 28 degrees. I have a tarp and blanket over hutch?

 

[LaLonnie Nelson]

My lil girls are 11 weeks old .. the temp at night is 45 .. they have not learned how to go into the coop at night! Their is going to be one night we will be gone & will be out in the pen!! Will they be ok! They are fully feathered! Thank -you

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Absolutely not.
At that age they are ready for virtually any temperature.

 

[llombardo]

This is my third group. I had all 8 of them outside for the day a couple weeks ago and it was going to be nice the next day so I just left them out. They are now just over 8 werks old.

My dilemma is the rain. I'm at work all day and tomorrow it will be raining on and off. There are areas that they can go to to get out of the rain and the coop is open but I don't know if they will be smart enough. Last week I left them in the coop when it rained but I integrated two older girls a couple days ago and I don't want to leave them locked up when they are still figuring things out. Worse case scenario I can blow dry them when I come home. Yes I'm prepared to do this...lol

 

[Blooie]

My 5.5 week old chicks got evicted cold turkey from the house before the coop was even finished - it was them or me! I even put a heat lamp out there for them, then I went to bed....for about 15 minutes at a time. I’d also put a wireless temperature transmitter out there with the receiver on my nightstand. All night I watched it drop......30 degrees, then 25, 22, 20, 18, 17...... i was up and down outta my nice warm bed all night long, running out to check them. They were fine, the little traitors. I, on the other hand, was freezing. But there they were, all snuggled down in a pile of beaks, feets, and feathers, sleeping soundly in front of the pop door nowhere near the heat lamp. Second night, same story, except I didn’t jump out of bed but twice. Third day I took the lamp out. If they weren’t gonna use it then wasn't wasting the electricity. That night it snowed sideways with 45 mile an hour winds. We got our last snowfall June 6th that year. If I’d waited to put them out until the charts and experts said it was safe, Ida would have laid her first egg in the brooder pen, because by June they were 17 and 18 weeks old. Ida’s first egg was at just barely 17 weeks.

Now I skip all that fuss and mess and start then outdoors from the start with Mama Heating Pad. No heat lamp, a wire pen right smack dab in the middle of the run, and they thrive. And I sleep all night through because so do they.

 

[Ridgerunner]

My lil girls are 11 weeks old .. the temp at night is 45 .. they have not learned how to go into the coop at night! Their is going to be one night we will be gone & will be out in the pen!! Will they be ok! They are fully feathered! Thank -you

At 11 weeks the temperature is not an issue. Like Blooie, I've had chicks 5.5 weeks old go through nights with temperatures below freezing. Mine was only the mid 20's, not as cold as hers, but still below freezing.

My concern is how predator proof is your run? Are they in danger if they sleep out there? Where do they try to sleep if they don't go into the coop when it gets dark? Can a raccoon reach through wire and get them?

Is your coop big enough that you can just leave them locked in the coop while you are gone? I have no idea how many chicks you have but I think these 11-week-olds are all you have. No adults to worry about integration. I don't know how big the coop is or what it looks like but your chicks still have a lot of growing to do. They may be OK locked in the coop section only for a day or two.

 

[D-Bar-B]

My 5.5 week old chicks got evicted cold turkey from the house before the coop was even finished - it was them or me! I even put a heat lamp out there for them, then I went to bed....for about 15 minutes at a time. I’d also put a wireless temperature transmitter out there with the receiver on my nightstand. All night I watched it drop......30 degrees, then 25, 22, 20, 18, 17...... i was up and down outta my nice warm bed all night long, running out to check them. They were fine, the little traitors. I, on the other hand, was freezing. But there they were, all snuggled down in a pile of beaks, feets, and feathers, sleeping soundly in front of the pop door nowhere near the heat lamp. Second night, same story, except I didn’t jump out of bed but twice. Third day I took the lamp out. If they weren’t gonna use it then wasn't wasting the electricity. That night it snowed sideways with 45 mile an hour winds. We got our last snowfall June 6th that year. If I’d waited to put them out until the charts and experts said it was safe, Ida would have laid her first egg in the brooder pen, because by June they were 17 and 18 weeks old. Ida’s first egg was at just barely 17 weeks.

Now I skip all that fuss and mess and start then outdoors from the start with Mama Heating Pad. No heat lamp, a wire pen right smack dab in the middle of the run, and they thrive. And I sleep all night through because so do they.

This is awesome! I've been worried about putting mine outside, but am tired of the smell and mess in my laundry room! (Hubby is ready for them to get the boot). They are 3 weeks, but have most of their feathers. We live in TX and are already having highs in the 70s and 80s and lows usually in the 50s. Looks like they're gonna get to experience the coop tomorrow. (There are storms coming tonight and I just can't put them out in that!)