Astralorp integration temps

[Newchickenlover1102]

Hello everyone. We have 5 Australorp chicks, 8 weeks old. They are weened off heat; however, the temperature in the barn is still warmer than the overnight lows. Barn temperature is about 50 degrees. Outside temperature low is 35 -45. Since this breed is cold hardy, is it ok to add them to the coop outside yet..... we have 8 mature hens and a rooster ? If not, what's your suggestions? They are getting very messy and stinky. We do take them outside during the day with highs of only 50s in WA. Screenshot attached of our weather this week. TIA for your help.

 

[thecatumbrella]

My bantams are going out at 8 weeks and will probably have some similar nights upfront. If you want to be conservative, make Sunday their first overnight since it looks to be in the 40's for a bit.

 

[Newchickenlover1102]

My bantams are going out at 8 weeks and will probably have some similar nights upfront. If you want to be conservative, make Sunday their first overnight since it looks to be in the 40's for a bit.

Thank you! Any idea how I'd know if it was too cold? Will they act different the next day?

 

[thecatumbrella]

Thank you! Any idea how I'd know if it was too cold? Will they act different the next day?

I guess I should ask, have you worked on integrating them with the main flock yet? Are you expecting them to follow the big girls up onto the roost bars? Or are you still working on integration and will have them crated inside the coop?

When I first put mine out (which included two Australorps), they formed a "cuddle puddle" in the coop shavings for the first few weeks. So I'd say give them some extra bedding and they'll be fine snuggling with each other. As long as the coop is draft free, they should be able to go from 50's to 40's no problem.

 

[Newchickenlover1102]

I guess I should ask, have you worked on integrating them with the main flock yet? Are you expecting them to follow the big girls up onto the roost bars? Or are you still working on integration and will have them crated inside the coop?

When I first put mine out (which included two Australorps), they formed a "cuddle puddle" in the coop shavings for the first few weeks. So I'd say give them some extra bedding and they'll be fine snuggling with each other. As long as the coop is draft free, they should be able to go from 50's to 40's no problem.

 

[thecatumbrella]

Sorry, if you were trying to reply, I'm not able to see anything you wrote for some reason!

 

[Newchickenlover1102]

The main coop is draft free. There are perches for the current girls and we did add 3 more perches for the chicks. They currently have perches in their small coop in the barn, so they're used to perching and sleeping together. It's a small coop with a small run full of pine shavings and straw. We have been taking the chicks outside in their own 20' run we move around the property ( no bottom, no bedding....pic attached) with the mature hens free ranging. They check them out, but mostly don't care. The main coop also has pine shavings and straw and sometimes the mature hens/rooster do bed down in the straw as well. Maybe an important note....we inherited the entire mature flock from the neighbor and built our coop to mimmick what they had. Then got the 5 chicks, but the neighbor gets chicks each year so the hens are 3 yrs, 2 yrs, & one years. She never had an issue integrating new chicks.

 

[Newchickenlover1102]

The main coop is draft free. There are perches for the current girls and we did add 3 more perches for the chicks. They currently have perches in their small coop in the barn, so they're used to perching and sleeping together. It's a small coop with a small run full of pine shavings and straw. We have been taking the chicks outside in their own 20' run we move around the property ( no bottom, no bedding....pic attached) with the mature hens free ranging. They check them out, but mostly don't care. The main coop also has pine shavings and straw and sometimes the mature hens/rooster do bed down in the straw as well. Maybe an important note....we inherited the entire mature flock from the neighbor and built our coop to mimmick what they had. Then got the 5 chicks, but the neighbor gets chicks each year so the hens are 3 yrs, 2 yrs, & one years. She never had an issue integrating new chicks.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Hello everyone. We have 5 Australorp chicks, 8 weeks old. They are weened off heat; however, the temperature in the barn is still warmer than the overnight lows. Barn temperature is about 50 degrees. Outside temperature low is 35 -45. Since this breed is cold hardy, is it ok to add them to the coop outside yet.....

I've had Australorp and similar chicks younger than 6 weeks go through nights a little below freezing with no heat. You have been exposing yours to the weather. At 8 weeks you have nothing to be worried about with those temperatures.

we have 8 mature hens and a rooster ? If not, what's your suggestions? They are getting very messy and stinky. We do take them outside during the day with highs of only 50s in WA.

It boils down to how much room you have in the coop and run, plus your management techniques. My pullets form a second flock until they reach laying age. Until then they avoid the adults. I have enough room outside so they can stay far from the adults. At night, they sleep in the same coop but not near the adults. It helps to have a lot of room.

When I integrate I give them as much room as reasonable and provide widely separated food and water stations so they can eat and drink without getting bullied. I try to not lock them into a tight space together. With the room I have inside and out I don't have integration issues. The way you have been keeping them where they can be seen certainly improves your odds of success.

Have you chatted with your neighbor about how they integrate? You might feel better about their suggestions than from a stranger over the internet like me.

 

[Newchickenlover1102]

I've had Australorp and similar chicks younger than 6 weeks go through nights a little below freezing with no heat. You have been exposing yours to the weather. At 8 weeks you have nothing to be worried about with those temperatures.


It boils down to how much room you have in the coop and run, plus your management techniques. My pullets form a second flock until they reach laying age. Until then they avoid the adults. I have enough room outside so they can stay far from the adults. At night, they sleep in the same coop but not near the adults. It helps to have a lot of room.

When I integrate I give them as much room as reasonable and provide widely separated food and water stations so they can eat and drink without getting bullied. I try to not lock them into a tight space together. With the room I have inside and out I don't have integration issues. The way you have been keeping them where they can be seen certainly improves your odds of success.

Have you chatted with your neighbor about how they integrate? You might feel better about their suggestions than from a stranger over the internet like me.

Yes, she has a brooder box inside of her main coop at all times & used a heat lamp. Our brooder was inside the barn.....then we moved into the small coop and run with outside trips. Now just need to get them in the main coop. In WA, in Feb when we got the chicks it was still in the teens and 20s so we put them in the barn.