I, too, don't know who exactly you were addressing your question to, but I thought that since our climates might be about the same this time of year (you get more rain, I'm sure), I'd go ahead and throw in what I've got going on with my 3 week old baby chicks.
Now mind you, my babies were born outside and use their mama for warmth, so please adjust accordingly. The coop they're currently in is open air on the bottom like I believe you described yours is. The nesting area is 'upstairs' from that. In their short 3 week lifetime, the temperature has dipped to a low of 49 degrees F., with 1/3 of those nights also having a pretty chilly breeze blowing through (not included in the 49 degree temp.).
In my opinion, and mind you, it is only that, my opinion...I wouldn't wait a few more weeks. The fact that they're not huddled directly near the heat lamp suggests to me that they are definitely not too cold, or else they would be. I think you should put them out very soon, like within a few days or so. I think if you wait for almost another month, the temperature differential will be too great for their little bodies to withstand. I think the stress of trying to stay warm could possible compromise their immune systems which could result in them not being able to fight off any opportunistic infections or diseases that might be around . If you put them out now (with the heat lamp positioned as you proposed), I feel that it will give them enough time to acclimate properly (with a gradual increase and decrease of temps., not...HELLO IT'S 32 DEGREES OUT and I've yet to knit my winter scarf and cap, never mind my actual parka...lol !!!) I feel that if you keep them out of drafts and from getting soaked in the rain, that along with the heat lamp being on 24/7, they should do fine. The only thing I couldn't picture by the way you described it was if there was a floor or wire or anything between where they would be roosting and the coop floor? In other words, if they're sitting on the roost and they poop, where does it land? Directly on the coop floor, a poop board, a toilet ??? (hahaha!!!)
Because I'd probably put something in between the roost and the ground, even if it were just some wire stapled from one side to the other so that you could put some cardboard across it, thereby keeping the wind from blowing up towards their backside. It would be easy to keep clean too, just replace the cardboard every now and then.
I guess for me it comes down to this...
If I put them out now, I can always bring them back in for another week or so if they seem too cold, but if I wait and put them out in a month or more, I...
1. run the risk of them 'catching' something and not surviving til Christmas
OR
2. run the risk of having them live with me not just at Christmas but also at New Years, Valentine's Day and perhaps even close to Easter...
(because I'm a softy and would bring them back in immediately if they seemed the least bit chilled...lol !!!)
But that's just me! Might not work for you and your situation's particular dynamics.
Hope this helped some and good luck !!!
-kim-
Now mind you, my babies were born outside and use their mama for warmth, so please adjust accordingly. The coop they're currently in is open air on the bottom like I believe you described yours is. The nesting area is 'upstairs' from that. In their short 3 week lifetime, the temperature has dipped to a low of 49 degrees F., with 1/3 of those nights also having a pretty chilly breeze blowing through (not included in the 49 degree temp.).
In my opinion, and mind you, it is only that, my opinion...I wouldn't wait a few more weeks. The fact that they're not huddled directly near the heat lamp suggests to me that they are definitely not too cold, or else they would be. I think you should put them out very soon, like within a few days or so. I think if you wait for almost another month, the temperature differential will be too great for their little bodies to withstand. I think the stress of trying to stay warm could possible compromise their immune systems which could result in them not being able to fight off any opportunistic infections or diseases that might be around . If you put them out now (with the heat lamp positioned as you proposed), I feel that it will give them enough time to acclimate properly (with a gradual increase and decrease of temps., not...HELLO IT'S 32 DEGREES OUT and I've yet to knit my winter scarf and cap, never mind my actual parka...lol !!!) I feel that if you keep them out of drafts and from getting soaked in the rain, that along with the heat lamp being on 24/7, they should do fine. The only thing I couldn't picture by the way you described it was if there was a floor or wire or anything between where they would be roosting and the coop floor? In other words, if they're sitting on the roost and they poop, where does it land? Directly on the coop floor, a poop board, a toilet ??? (hahaha!!!)
Because I'd probably put something in between the roost and the ground, even if it were just some wire stapled from one side to the other so that you could put some cardboard across it, thereby keeping the wind from blowing up towards their backside. It would be easy to keep clean too, just replace the cardboard every now and then.
I guess for me it comes down to this...
If I put them out now, I can always bring them back in for another week or so if they seem too cold, but if I wait and put them out in a month or more, I...
1. run the risk of them 'catching' something and not surviving til Christmas
OR
2. run the risk of having them live with me not just at Christmas but also at New Years, Valentine's Day and perhaps even close to Easter...
(because I'm a softy and would bring them back in immediately if they seemed the least bit chilled...lol !!!)
But that's just me! Might not work for you and your situation's particular dynamics.
Hope this helped some and good luck !!!
-kim-
