Hello from North Dakota!

[Homesteadmama23]

Hi there!

We recently moved from CA to ND (with a brief stay in ID for a year), and finally have chickens again! We are so excited!

Our chicks are about 8 weeks old, and we just moved them to their outside coop on Saturday (they were in our bedroom until now). It was 60 degrees on Saturday, and it's only 13 right now! Yikes! We have two heat lamps in there, but I put a thermometer where they are roosting, and it's only 35 degrees. Should I bring them back in the house? It's supposed to get warmer tomorrow, but I'm worried about them today, with a high of 29 degrees. Would love any advice! Raising chickens in the frigid tundra is new to me.

I'm looking forward to being a part of this community!

~Sarah

 

[Kelsie2290]

Hello and Welcome To BYC! They should be pretty well feathered at 8 weeks, but that is a pretty big temperature difference for them if they weren't acclimated. As long as they are acting OK and moving around I would leave them outside some during the day to get used to the cold since they do have access to the heat lamp. If they are huddled and look unhappy I would bring them back in. Since they have only been outside since Saturday though, and aren't really acclimated to the cold at all, I would consider bringing them in at night, you don't want one getting lost or falling off the perch or something and not knowing how to get back to a warm spot.

 

[TwoCrows]

Kelsie X2. Being that they are feathered, it shouldn't be a huge problem, but extreme temp changes can be harmful. So just keep an eye on them. It is best to acclimate them slowly. I would keep the heat lamp available to them at night for a few weeks. It doesn't have to be right on them, but close enough to take the chill off. If you notice them cold during the day, you can turn it on for them all day as well. In a couple weeks they should be acclimated to the cooler temps.

Great to have you aboard and enjoy all your poultry adventures!

 

[Homesteadmama23]

Thank you both, for your advice!

I decided to bring them inside. Just don't want to risk it. The only problem now is that they've outgrown their box in the house, so they're pretty tight in there. They will be ok. It's supposed to warm up to 30s and 40s for the rest of the week. I also did not bring the heat lamp inside, so they can get used to my 60something degree house. Then the 40 degrees with a heat lamp shouldn't be too hard. They also are only 6 weeks, not 8. I called my hatchery to confirm. That's part of why I decided to bring them in. =)

 

[sumi]

Welcome to BYC

At 6 weeks I start moving babies out, but it's still a bit cold by you, so I'd say let them sleep inside, or at least under a heat lamp for another week or 2. By the time they are 8 weeks old they should be fine without extra heat and it will hopefully be a bit warmer too!

 

[Duckopolis]

Good luck with your chickens and I hope you find everything you need to know! Don't forget to take a look at BYC's very useful learning center! Glad to have you with us. I would give them a heat lamp or bring them back inside!

 

[gander007]

 

[chickenlover292]

I live in eastern North Dakota and all I do is put a heat lamp in the chicken coop and a timer for the heat lamp and a heated water dish. I have so many birds that they don't need as much heat as people think they do in North Dakota.

 

[Chicken Girl1]

Hello

and Welcome to BYC!

Glad to have you join! Feel free to make yourself at home!

 

[Wyandottes7]

Hello, and welcome to BYC!

I'm glad you joined our community.

The above posters have given you some good advice! I would keep them in for a little while longer, since it is so cold. An 8 week old has most of its feathers, but hasn't grown in all its downy feathers yet.