cool nights and 6 week old chicks

[seminolewind]

O-Kay. So I don't have to worry. Sheesh, I just love the little buggers!

 

[GoldDogsMom]

Quote:
rpchris, what are your daytime temps? I am moving my girls out today and currently the coop is reading 60 degrees and down to low 40s tonight...

I am torn, with 12, they should be able to huddle together and keep each other warm but the lowest temp they have experienced is about 60.

 

[rpchris]

Quote:
rpchris, what are your daytime temps? I am moving my girls out today and currently the coop is reading 60 degrees and down to low 40s tonight...

I am torn, with 12, they should be able to huddle together and keep each other warm but the lowest temp they have experienced is about 60.

Daytime temps have been 75 - 83, nighttime temps have been 48 - 53. I worried about them the first night, but honestly they seem to love being outside.

 

[GoldDogsMom]

thanks rpchris! BTW, your coop looks GREAT and the girls look happy!

I am probably going to put a heat lamp in for a week or so...worried about the nights...

 

[rachelcb80]

I have 7 week old chicks that are fully feathered and have been outside for several weeks now but I've been putting a lamp on at night. My non-emotional side of the brain told me I should probably stop that now while our night time temps aren't too cold so they can acclimate. I just feel bad for them in the damp coolness at night. In defense of my actions though, they were sick with coccidiosis last month and while they were healing I didn't want them putting forth any extra effort to try and stay warm. Thankfully everyone is better and thriving again so I'll cut the heat lamp out soon. Maybe even tonight if I can make myself do it.....

 

[Fred's Hens]

For the emotional among us,

A chicken requires very cool weather to stimulate down and feather growth, needed for the coming winter. It is natural to be concerned, but care for them in the right way and the right way is to allow nature to take its course. Come December, they'll be so big and fluffy and able to keep themselves warm. You never see anyone shear a sheep in Autumn. The wool is allowed to grow thick for winter. A horse does that same thing, growing a shaggy winter coat. Then, come spring, a mammal sheds its winter coat. Nature knows best.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I agree with Fred.
I like brooding chicks this time of year so they get used to the cold.
I try to give them ample space with a warm spot so they can find their comfort zone. The rule of thumb - 95 first week, 90 second, 85 third, 80 foruth is a guideline only and I think they still need access to cooler spots.
I had a single 10 day old chick spend the night in the woods when temps were in the low 50s last week. I thought she was a goner but she was running around healthy as anything the next morning. Robust birds can live through almost anything.
Coddling helps to make them weak.

 

[smokinjay]

Mine are 5 weeks old all windows open at night no heat what so ever 40's and a couple 30's....There feather are looking awesome!

 

[GoldDogsMom]

My girls who are 5 wks old were successfully moved out to the coop yesterday and last night I kept a close eye ... temp was 58 at 11 pm, 55 at 3am and 50 at 7am. I did not add heat and they were happy and active this am. Even if they did sleep in a pile right up against the door!

 

[marlene]

I put 5 & 6 week old chicks out on monday in a small coop with out any heat, the temps at night have ranged between 50-60f and they have done great. Today it has been in the 50 and windy, i still put them out in the run with a small dog kennel pilled up with straw for them to keep warm in if they wanted, but they have been running around playing all day and not once gone in the kennel, i have noticed that in the short 4 days that they have been out they have feathered out even more. They do adapt well to being outside if you climatise them from an early age.
I read a while ago about a lady that hatches hundreds of chicks every week and only keeps them under heat for a few days, by the time they are 4 weeks they go out with no heat.
I have never kept my chicks at 95 as i have always felt that was too hot, i always start them on about 80 and every day i put it down, by the time they are a week old they only have a very small amount of heat at night and by the time they are 2 weeks old they don't have heat at night. The temp in my house very rarely drops below 65.
I think if you are going to hatch in the colder months and do not want to have chicks in the house all winter, the quicker you get them used to colder climates the better they do.