Cornish Cross bird and cold weather

[rohnsherd]

So this is my first year with chickens at all, but I really wanted to try a few meat birds. So I went over to TSC and picked up so chicks. Well what I didn't realize is I got 1 1/2 week old cornish chicks and they grow FAST!!! Now they are 2 1/2 weeks old and are starting to stink. I live in Michigan and this winter has been HARSH to say the least and there is still a lot of snow on the ground and frost. I want to get them moved out into a movable pen in my garage that I built, its 4x8. But I am concerned that its still too cold. What can I do to supplement heat for them so I can get them out of my home? Or do I need to wait a little longer? What I should have done is wait for warmer weather and then mail order them, but I never knew how that worked until now. My fall run of meat birds I will do that now! Any help ya'll can afford would be great!

 

[my sunwolf]

Welcome to BYC!

I agree, still too cold for them outside.

What I don't do, but what a friend of mine does, is run an outdoor extension cord out to a "baby pen" and plugs a 250W heat lamp into that. The whole thing is a low wood and wire structure covered with a tarp to keep some heat in and wet/cold weather out. I don't do this because I have electric wiring out to a shed where I brood Cornish X chicks and I HATE extension cords, but it is doable.

You could just put them inside the pen in your garage and attach a heat lamp, that way they'd be out of the weather but out of your main house. As long as you have a strong 250W heat lamp and protection from the elements, they can go out in almost any weather. Straw makes a good insulator as well.

 

[rohnsherd]

So this is what I did. Tell me if you think they will be ok. I made a 4x8 box with a cover over each end leaving the middle open for ventilation. In the top of each end I cut an opening and covered it with wire mesh and set a heat lamp on each end. I put the water in the end and the food hanging in the middle. They have been out there for about 4 hours and the thermometer reads 77-80. I put a drop cloth over the open middle section to help keep the heat in too. The next couple days are going to be cold but they are inside my pole barn so no wind at least. What do u think?

 

[blucoondawg]

if you can maintain the temperature in there I would say they should do fine just be careful the drop cloth and the wood around the area where the heat lamp sits is not too close to the lamp so it doesn't start a fire.

 

[rohnsherd]

Well it has been a week since they have been moved out there and so far so good. There have been some obvious swings in temperature as the temp outside here in Michigan varies a lot. But all in all they are doing well. Eating and drinking and moving around in there some. Usually huddled around the lamp. I ended up taking out the one lamp and replacing it with a small electric ceramic heater blowing warm air into the enclosure. So far (fingers crossed) they are doing well. I officially switched them over today to a grower\finisher feed. They are huge compared to when I got them! Thanks for your insight!