8 week old intro to flock in cold?

[Laney]

Hi all,

I have an 8 week old Silver Phoenix that was raised as a single chick. It was not intended that way, but it happened. Now I have Another set of eggs in the bator due to hatch on the 7th, unfortunately again it looks like only one of them will hatch.. I've got more eggs due to hatch behind them when I saw that happening, I won't have just one chick again. Those will hatch on the 21st.

The problem is, I don't think I can put the new solo chick in the brooder with the 8, almost 9 week old until the second batch arrives so I wanted to move the older one out with the adult birds. Unfortunately North Carolina has been inundated with an unexpected Arctic cold snap. Temps are getting up into the 30's during the day with high wind chill factors, and in the low 20's to teens at night for the next few weeks.

The Silver Phoenix is fully feathered, but has been living in my garage with a heat lamp it's whole life. Recommendations?

Laney

 

[wildorchid053]

it isn't cold hardy.. you will have to help him adjust to the cold temps by slowly lowering the heat you have been providing him.. if you throw him out their now he won't make it.. and i doubt the others will let him snuggle with them to keep warm

 

[Laney]

That's what I was thinking. Do you think I have enough time? Between now and the 7th to make her cold hardy? I will start turning off the heater during the day, or at least moving it further away. I really wish she was a more mothering breed. I had planned to move her out to the outdoor "brooder coop" by herself but I'm not sure that will even be an option with this cold?

It is a wood structure with all sides covered by hardware cloth. I have purchased plastic to go around at least 3 sides, possibly all sides except the doors. I planned to put down cardboard and cover it with pine shavings for babies, straw for older birds. I was going to run an outdoor extension cord with a heat-lamp that is attached to the structure with wire not tie wraps.

It just doesn't usually get this cold for this long here. If it gets this cold it's for one or two days, then it warms up.

Do you think if I bought an extra heat lamp the lone 8 week old chick would be OK out in the outside coop with a heat lamp?

Laney

 

[gsim]

Quote:
Just be sure that it is well secured and that she cannot get to the bulb no matter what.

Coop fires go with bad weather is seems.

I agree with others who say not to put her in with the older ones. Could be a tragedy in the making there. They do like the comfort of the flock it seems, or at least it does in my case. Mine are all same age and together from day one. Yours may well do fine alone since she has been alone in your garage. A radical change could do her in during this type of weather.

 

[Laney]

Thanks for the suggestions. I am scared about the heat lamp in the coop. It won't be near the main coop or house etc. It will be well tied with heavy duty metal wire.

I hated raising her alone, which is why I went and got the other eggs as soon as I candled and saw I had only one egg developing again. This chick will be alone for a few weeks but I figure that when she/he is overwhelmed with a bunch of delawares numbers will overcome age and they will eventually accept each other.

Ok. I guess tomorrow I will set out to weather proofing the outside coop. Wish me luck. I'll be getting my infrared thermometer out to see how it goes.

Laney