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

[Blooie]

Be sure to give them some acclimation time, especially at only 3 weeks old. You may want to take them off the heat for a few days before you put them out. And be prepared for a first class chicky temper tantrum the first night. They don't like change, and suddenly moving to the big, scary outdoors is a huge change. They'll likely huddle - this is as much for security as it is for warmth. With chicks (and chickens) there is no courtesy....it's every bird for him/herself! There's safety in numbers, and they know that the chick on the outside of the pile is the most likely to be picked off, so none of them wants to be on the outside! "No, no...take her...she poops in the food pan!" And the first time in the dark is an added reason to throw a temper tantrum, hoping you will melt and bring them back in. If you know your setup is as predator proof as humanly possible, and they are just yelling at you because they're scared of the dark, pour yourself a margarita. In fact, I've found over the years that Margarita Mix is the most important part of my chicken first aid kit!

If your temps are much lower than the 50s, do yourself and them a favor and harden yourself to wait another week or so. Better safe than sorry. Remember that my chicks start out there from the get-go, and have Mama Heating Pad as a heat source for the first three weeks. They spend more time outside of it than under it, so they are acclimating themselves to ambient temperatures from the start. They self-regulate. In your case you've been doing the regulating for them. So give them some time to adapt a bit before you put them out. Good luck!

 

[Ridgerunner]

In fact, I've found over the years that Margarita Mix is the most important part of my chicken first aid kit!

Personally I prefer chopped fruit and vanilla ice cream.

 

[D-Bar-B]

Be sure to give them some acclimation time, especially at only 3 weeks old. You may want to take them off the heat for a few days before you put them out. And be prepared for a first class chicky temper tantrum the first night. They don't like change, and suddenly moving to the big, scary outdoors is a huge change. They'll likely huddle - this is as much for security as it is for warmth. With chicks (and chickens) there is no courtesy....it's every bird for him/herself! There's safety in numbers, and they know that the chick on the outside of the pile is the most likely to be picked off, so none of them wants to be on the outside! "No, no...take her...she poops in the food pan!" And the first time in the dark is an added reason to throw a temper tantrum, hoping you will melt and bring them back in. If you know your setup is as predator proof as humanly possible, and they are just yelling at you because they're scared of the dark, pour yourself a margarita. In fact, I've found over the years that Margarita Mix is the most important part of my chicken first aid kit!

If your temps are much lower than the 50s, do yourself and them a favor and harden yourself to wait another week or so. Better safe than sorry. Remember that my chicks start out there from the get-go, and have Mama Heating Pad as a heat source for the first three weeks. They spend more time outside of it than under it, so they are acclimating themselves to ambient temperatures from the start. They self-regulate. In your case you've been doing the regulating for them. So give them some time to adapt a bit before you put them out. Good luck!

I think I'll start them out there during the day when it's really warm...may still bring them in at night for this week...but also plan on keeping the heat lamp out there close to the roosting bar so they have a source of heat once they're out there at night. Thank you again for your help and advice! And I prefer Pina Colada mix

 

[LaLonnie Nelson]

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.

 

[Blooie]

Sheesh! Not a Margarita fan in the bunch! Well, more for me~

 

[LaLonnie Nelson]

Thank-you for your response: our outdoor pen is covered and predator proof! We are actually going to put a box with shavings in it! They wait by the door for us at dusk! So we thought we would put the box by the door with shavings in it! We have 4 Black Australorp ‘s ...the coop is 6x6 and the run is 12x 12! Very secure run