Are 12 week old puletts old enough for cold weather in coop?

[VCChick]

Thank you for the information. It's 49 degrees out right now....but windy....so its chilly. I am wearing a sweat jacket in the sun. I think you are saying not today for my not fully feathered 4 week olds Flockmaster?

 

[azygous]

You want to shoot for sunny, calm days for field trips to the big outdoors.

 

[MollySunshine]

I'm happy to see this question raised again. I placed a heat lamp in the coop last night for my 11 and 9 week old chicks that are in the coop. hmmm, did I over react? I thought 30 would be too cold for them. 3 are bantam breeds. I did have hubby turn it off by mid morning. It was still windy and chilly but I do want them to get used to cooler temperatures. I'm sure there is no absolute right or wrong but....and I'm guilty of preparing a heat lamp in the roo's coop this morning in preparation for tonight's frigid temps.

I intend on placing my next and last group of chickies in the coop this weekend to begin integration, they are silkies and will be 7 weeks. Should I not leave them with supplemental heat if the night time temps. are 30ish?

 

[Ridgerunner]

If it will make you feel better and you can do it safely without burning something down, go ahead. As long as the chicks have good breeze protection and good ventilation they don’t need it but some people do. There is some value in making yourself feel better.

 

[azygous]

I don't have Silkies, but I know people who do, and they don't have the kind of feathers standard breeds have. They may need a little more acclimatizing to get them used to colder temps.

The cardinal rule with any and all chickens, though, is to get them used to any sort of change gradually.

Also, follow your instincts. You know more about your chickens than you think you do!

 

[MollySunshine]

If it will make you feel better and you can do it safely without burning something down, go ahead. As long as the chicks have good breeze protection and good ventilation they don’t need it but some people do. There is some value in making yourself feel better.

I don't have Silkies, but I know people who do, and they don't have the kind of feathers standard breeds have. They may need a little more acclimatizing to get them used to colder temps.

The cardinal rule with any and all chickens, though, is to get them used to any sort of change gradually.

Also, follow your instincts. You know more about your chickens than you think you do!

Thanks for your input. I did turn the heat lamp back on last night in the pullet coop. 9:30 p.m. came and the roo's in their coop were crowing. If they are crowing at this time of night no one is resting....they are moving about. I went outdoors and turned the light off. The reassurance I read that they are hardier than we think etc. gave me some peace of mind. I checked on them this morning and they survived the night unscathed! I did turn the light on for a couple of hours when I was out there tidying up and refilling this morning before turning it off for the day. AND I left the little littles with no heat lamp for the day today. The were on the outer fringes of the direct light that was cast on the floor of their brooder so my instincts told me they are probably good without it.

Once again, I appreciate this question being brought up again. Even though "we" read prior posts and have an idea of what to do, I still like the idea of someone telling me yeah, it's ok or no, not so good. I feel as though someone is taking me by the hand and guiding me. It's a comfort thing. Heck, I just want to get these chickies and me for that matter, through the first year!

 

[VCChick]

Even though the questions have been asked before it usually stopped at 6-8 weeks old and not direct questions about temperature and different ages, feathering, slightly feathered, size, breeds, etc. This all comes with experience some of us just don't have. I would rather ask the question (and feel a bit stupid) than lose a chick for something I may only assume is ok from reading between the lines of different circumstances. Very happy this site is here for knowledge, experience and sometimes just to get some reassurance. Some of us just don't have anyone to get all this information and experience from.

 

[MollySunshine]

Even though the questions have been asked before it usually stopped at 6-8 weeks old and not direct questions about temperature and different ages, feathering, slightly feathered, size, breeds, etc. This all comes with experience some of us just don't have. I would rather ask the question (and feel a bit stupid) than lose a chick for something I may only assume is ok from reading between the lines of different circumstances. Very happy this site is here for knowledge, experience and sometimes just to get some reassurance. Some of us just don't have anyone to get all this information and experience from.

I'm in your pool, amen to that! I have no one around me to ask so more times than not, I scour the posts here. Don't ever feel stupid....as you mentioned it's all about the chickies.

 

[azygous]

We want to help, and even newcomers to BYC have some awesome advice and experience. But I caution you to plug in your common sense and intuition and carefully consider the advice you read here before automatically following it. Occasionally, I've seen some "advice" that is so far out on the weeds it makes me marvel at some "old wives" tales that would normally be laughed off the web page but accepted as scripture because it appeared here.