8 weeks old and night temps

[ImAussie]

The adults sleep on roosts my shoulder height off the ground, tucked in around the corner of the most closed in section. You can kind of see them in this pic at the back right of the "building". They jump up the ladder to the nest boxes and walk along to the end and onto the roosts. Where they sleep no rain or wind gets to them. Believe it or not this is greatly improved from how it was when we bought the property. I've even managed to get some grass starting to grow in there again!

 

[Chicalina]

Oh I see. That does look pretty sheltered when I squint into the darkness and can now see the roosts!

I suppose you don't have high winds, torrential rain and cold nights in winter, being in Oz?

 

[ImAussie]

Definitely nothing extreme where I live - our coldest winter temp last year was -2.1c but only a few times went below 0. We get frost on the grass. but no snow, any frost we do get melts quickly after the sun comes up. Our bigger issue is how hot it gets in summer, so keeping them cool is our bigger struggle.

 

[3KillerBs]

temps have been as low as 32F (0°c) but mainly getting down around 42F (6°c). At what stage can I leave them o those at night to save me having to carry t he l in and out every morning and night?

The 4-week-olds I was given were off heat and just fine in their Temporary Accommodations with night lows in the low 40's a couple weeks ago.

As long as they're feathered out and can get out of the wind they should be good.

 

[Chicalina]

I'm no expert on hot weather, being in the UK, but throughflow of air is key. Even though you've got one side open, it might be an idea to cut some holes near the roof so that the breeze passes through above their heads. That will take excess heat away, and ammonia.

 

[Cj Tracker]

My chicks are 8 weeks old. They’ve been outside everyday but been bringing them back inside at night (window open but heat plate on particularly cold nights).

temps have been as low as 32F (0°c) but mainly getting down around 42F (6°c). At what stage can I leave them o those at night to save me having to carry t he l in and out every morning and night?

Please help me out!

My chicks were out in coop younger than that with temps about the same. I always keep windows open except when especially windy.
They do probably huddle at night and at that age probably fully feathered. Depends how large the coop is also but I wouldn't provide extra heat. Let them grow up hardy and they will be healthier for it , my opinion

 

[ImAussie]

Thank you all. After the first night being successful last night I’m much less worried now. Just the fear of the first night outside, now I know they’ll be fine.

nights are fine in summer, main issue is during the day. But they’ve got plenty of shade and we get a great breeze on our property and of course keep up the fresh clean water. We’ve had 2 summers here without any casualties due to heat (some loss to predator stress but that’s another story).