Can I move them outside?

[GSPx2]

I live in NJ and winter came back. The nights are going into the 20s at times. Im afraid to put them outside because im not sure if they are ready to go out. They are approximately 6 weeks old. Im more so concerned about the silkies. I've never had chicks before, but a month in the house is enough and i need to get them outside to be chickens.

 

[sdaikus]

im in ct .. where we have a snow covered spring too! super annoying.. anyways

i would think 20s is too cold for them right now. i am too a newbie so I'm curious to see what some one who knows what they are talking about says.

is their coop heated? or at least well insulated with out any drafts?

sorry, wish i could be more help..

 

[Egghead_Jr]

20's at night in a coop is fine if they are well feathered. From the photo they look to be feathered out. Do you have a transitional area to put them for a few days like a garage? Acclimation to colder is more important than how cold it is outside. It's the shock of still being under a heat lamp to outside that bothers them. Turn off any heat source if not already, if a unheated space like garage put there for few days then outside. Stage down into the temp they are going to instead of heat lamp to cold all at once.

I'm North of you and have not had chicks out this early before. We have a 50F day coming but next 5 days still have teens for lows, not out of the woods yet here by Canadian border. Have had them out late April when you'd still get high 20's at night now and then and high 40's some days 50's others. They did fine. We currently are coming out of the cold snap of last 3 days. Check your extended forecast and ween the birds in prepration.

 

[chickenweirdo1]

Usually you can put them in the coop when they are fully feathered to be safe, but I'm not sure about the Cochin's.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Do you have electricity out there? Many of us raise them outside in the coop even when the weather is below freezing. All you need is an area warm enough for them to go to when they need to warm up.

I agree it helps to acclimate hem to cooler temperatures but I’ve had chicks 5-1/2 weeks old go through nights in the mid 20’s with no supplemental heat. But mine were raised in my brooder in the coop where one end is kept toasty but the far end may have ice in it on those really cold mornings. Mine were certainly acclimated.