8 weeks and the cold

[crooked stripe]

I have 2- 8 week old fully feathered White Rocks that need to go to the big coop. It is in the 40- 60 degree range. I can isolate them in the coop till the big girls accept them. I just worry about the cold. A heat lamp could be put in with them but the light would be on all the time and I don't know how the big ones will take it. Any suggestions? The White Rocks are in a heated barn with 8 misc 4 week olds in a 4x8 brooder. The temps in the brooder under the heat light are in the 80's but at the cool end it is in the low 70's. Any advise would be appreciated. John

 

[joebryant]

It seems to me that eight-week-old chicks that are fully feathered would only need a heat lamp for the next month or two if the temperature outside dropped below freezing.

 

[crooked stripe]

What about the older girls. How would the constant light effect them? It sure wasn't a good idea on my part to invest in young ones this time of year without a broody. John

 

[teach1rusl]

I didn't see what area you are in John?? I'm in Indiana. We've been mostly in the 50s/60s during the day, but have gotten down in the mid 30s at night. My 5 little girls are about 8 weeks as well. I've been using a 150 W heatlamp bulb (red) in the evenings/night (had been using a 250W until recently). I have my lamp on one of those lamp timers (6:00 PM till about 8:00 am). If you get one of the red bulbs, the other hens shouldn't mind it. But even if you had to leave it on full time (not using a timer), it wouldn't be a big deal other than the electricity cost. I would use one for a bit, because with only two, they probably won't be "huddling" with the bigger birds yet, since they're just being integrated, and the nights do get pretty cold now (at least here). Maybe they wouldn't need it, but for me, due to my little girls' ages this FIRST winter, I'm going to transition them slowly...

 

[crooked stripe]

I have been chipping ice out of the waterer every morning this week. I have a heated waterer in the coop but the girls won't drink out if it. They did last year so time will tell. I know when the snow flies you won't see them outside and I will move the other heated waterer inside the coop. The outside waterer leakes a bit so I put it in a flower pot base but it fills up with base. Those waterers that fill from the bottom are nothing but a pain in the ###. I guess I shouldn't expect much for $45 these days. I will quite complaining as I do love keeping and caring for my girls. John ( Suffield, Ohio. 15 miles east of Akron.)

 

[teach1rusl]

Something you may or may not be interested in: Google "Thermocube." It's a temp. contolled outlet device that only turns on at 35 degrees, shuts off at 45 degrees. It could be used on a heat lamp for your 8 week olds. Many people buy use them for the heated water bowls. There is another model or two w/temp. ranges below that... I bought one, but haven't tried it yet.