Freezing chicks?

[lcallan]

Right now I have 3 and a half week old chicks. I just put them outside in the coop a few days ago when the weather was in the 80s. However, now it is rainy and about 30 degrees outside. I have a heat lamp in there, and 3 of the 4 sides are covered with wood, and one side with tarp. There is a thermometer in there near the lamp, but not directly under it, that is reading 50 degrees. Is this air too cold for chicks of this age? I don't really have any place else to keep them where they wouldn't make a huge mess that my mom wouldn't mind. What other arrangements could I make, if the one I have now is not at all fine? Thanks for the input.

 

[suzeqf]

I would get a temp reading directly under the heat lamp and if it's around 75-80 and they all have room to be under the lamp comfortably then you should be ok as long as you've made sure they stay dry and draft free and if you have room I would add a 2nd heat lamp. I have 15 chicks ranging in ages from 2-6 weeks old and they are in a small pen in the shop which stays around 45-50 and i have 2 heat lamps and it seems to be just what they like and most of the time when i check on them they are spread out all over the pen

 

[Kmanrriquez]

I put my chicks outside at 3 days old in 43 degree weather. I put a heating lamp over them and enclosed the pen like you described and they always survive.

 

[lcallan]

Okay, thank you very much I'll definitely make these changes and see if it makes them feel any better. I just wasn't sure how fine they were.