Advice on chicks and the cold

[WhatsUpDuck]

We have two chicks that are breeder is keeping for us until they are six weeks old, which will be November 13 and then she will need us to pick them up. She has had them with their Mama, and she has a brooder heat plate. I was thinking I should buy a brooder plate as well since she has raised them that way. The coolest night we have had so far is the low thirties. I can also keep them in our root cellar at night if I need to which is always warmer then outside. I'm just not sure what I should do. Thanks for any advice. These chicks are very special to us they are the two that was hatched from our flock that we lost.

 

[kattabelly]

They won't need heat at six weeks old.

 

[WhatsUpDuck]

That's what I was thinking, but her and her mom kept going on that chicks can "freeze to death", but I have my own thoughts on that, but I knew you guys knew more then me. So any advice I appreciate

 

[AnneGirlGG]

I've got 5 chicks in the coop that are 4.5 weeks old. They're mostly feathered. We've had nights around 48 to 50, and tonight will be 40. They've been out there almost 2 weeks now. At first I had a brooder plate with them, but they weren't sleeping anywhere near it, so I just took it out. They're doing fine, and I don't plan to put it back for tonight. Yours should do great! Congratulations on them!

 

[WhatsUpDuck]

Aww thank! I really thought I was over thinking it, and if for some reason we get extreme cold weather I can bring them in somewhere warm. I told my hubby if we getting really freezing below zero weather I'll bring the chickens in and let them stay warm with us..He laughed...but knows I"m crazy enough to do it. As long as they are not living in his garage he is happy haha

 

[AnneGirlGG]

Aww thank! I really thought I was over thinking it, and if for some reason we get extreme cold weather I can bring them in somewhere warm. I told my hubby if we getting really freezing below zero weather I'll bring the chickens in and let them stay warm with us..He laughed...but knows I"m crazy enough to do it. As long as they are not living in his garage he is happy haha

I've got 2 brooder plates that double as coop heaters if we get anything too crazy. But I've heard that unless it's just crazy cold, you really shouldn't heat the coop. I think it's got something to do with how it can make the birds less tolerant to cold, but that might not be correct. It's been a bit since I read it and I can't remember exactly.

 

[kattabelly]

That's what I was thinking, but her and her mom kept going on that chicks can "freeze to death", but I have my own thoughts on that, but I knew you guys knew more then me. So any advice I appreciate

Yes, chicks can freeze to death. But six-week-old chicks aren't going to be at any risk of freezing to death at those temperatures. They should be fully feathered by then and presumably you'll provide somewhere to sleep where they're out of the wind and rain.

I'm not entirely sure why the breeder is using heat plates if the chicks are being raised by their mother hen, unless I've read that wrong?

 

[Debbie292d]

I told my hubby if we getting really freezing below zero weather I'll bring the chickens in and let them stay warm with us

This is what I'd do.

I'm not so sure I agree with everyone here. Two chicks outside when it's in the low 30's? If it was six, sure, they can snuggle together.

I would put them outside during the day and just see how it goes. If it drops below freezing at night, I'd bring them in. We have Cozy Coop radiant heaters in our grow-out pens, so I don't worry at all, but without any heat, I just would be afraid that them trying to keep themselves warm is going to run them down eventually.

It might only take a week, or if the nights are in the 40s, then should be okay, but below freezing with no heat source scares me.

These chicks have a mom, and a Cozy Coop because I gave her 40 chicks I hatched, and no way she could keep them all warm. They were running around outside when it was freezing, but only for an hour, then back to their hutch where the heat was.

 

[MamaPoult]

If you're concerned you could heat up some large rocks and then put a towel over them so the chicks don't get burnt. That's what I do for chilly nights with my older chicks.

 

[WhatsUpDuck]

The breeder told me that they are with their mama, and she has a brooder plate. I will be keeping them out of the rain/weather! All of our chickens will have access to dry! I will see what happens when we get them. I can bring them in if it is freezing or very bad weather. I had planned on keeping them with their mama in their own space for a while and then integrating them with our flock.