Below zero/young chickens outside...

[Matilda Belle]

In SD we have pretty wild temperature swings all through the winter, right now we are near 0, and it is suppose to be 55 degrees on Friday. A healthy 3 month old bird should be perfectly fine with some protection. Or at least in my experience.

that’s pretty warm for a winter in SD. Send some of that heat my way!

 

[Matilda Belle]

Update: last night it got down to -4. When I went to open the coop door this morning the chicks were all screaming. So they are now in my basement.

 

[CatWhisperer]

Silkies just aren’t going to tolerate the cold as well as normally feathered birds. My adults seem fine outdoors down to the twenties but have acclimated to that.

 

[Matilda Belle]

My adults are fine even at -20 (last year). The young ones are the ones that are screaming.

 

[NNYchick]

My silkies do fine in my unheated coop in the negative temperatures but my young silkies snuggle with the adults but if they are not integrated that probably won’t work. Basement is probably a good choice for the young ones do you have an unheated area for them that way they get better acclimated?

 

[Matilda Belle]

My silkies do fine in my unheated coop in the negative temperatures but my young silkies snuggle with the adults but if they are not integrated that probably won’t work. Basement is probably a good choice for the young ones do you have an unheated area for them that way they get better acclimated?

not really, but our basement isn’t the warmest. It’s probably 60-65 downstairs. I’m guessing the chicks will be inside for awhile since there a cold blast hitting the Midwest.

 

[NNYchick]

We are about to get a big drop in temperature tonight. I have a few from my last hatch out there that are 4 months old but they were raised by broodies so they will snuggle in the pile. If they were younger or not integrated I would be bringing them in too.

 

[Matilda Belle]

I also have some about 4 months old out there and they seem fine so far. Incubator hatched. They’ve been outside for about 2 months.

 

[aart]

Update: last night it got down to -4. When I went to open the coop door this morning the chicks were all screaming. So they are now in my basement.

Were they under the heater?
Was it set low enough...with no breezes blowing underneath?

 

[Matilda Belle]

Were they under the heater?
Was it set low enough...with no breezes blowing underneath?

yes, yes and yes.