Help! Advice needed - How cold is too cold?

[21hens-incharge]

Best case scenario is if one of your girls goes broody within the next week.

I don't think leaving birds for 4 days grown or just 6 weeks old is a good idea.

Yes the adults are a real danger to young ones.

My advice is to get a sitter arranged. The friend you are brooding them for should be willing.

 

[Doc7]

If a proper chick integration plan is used I have seen members on this forum have chicks integrated with “panic doors” by this age... even as young as 2 weeks. I expect my chicks to use their coop ramp at 2.5 weeks putting themselves to bed in their coop under the MHP at 3 weeks.

I certainly don’t think this is impossible for 6 week old chicks. They ought to definitely be cooping on their own at night by that time. You may want to have a back up plan, but although temps are warmer I am going to Canada for 8 days, fully planning on leaving alone the entire time 5 week old chicks integrated with 1 year old hens this spring.

I leave my hens for 1-2 weeks without a chicken sitter several times in a year.

 

[Doc7]

I am not saying this will be easy.

But if this was my chicks, I would plan to work hard to ensure chick integration (via panic doors , etc), and that the chicks can come and go from coop to run without getting trapped in the run, and put themselves in their coop nightly, by 3 weeks, and rest confidently by the time of the 4 day trip being planned. You will have 2 weeks of
Leeway but shouldn’t need it if you put in a little effort ahead of time. To me - easier than sticking 6-week ole dusty chickens insides someone’s house for 4 days, even my own!

 

[blackdog043]

Is your coop big enough to set a brooder up inside?
I use the Mama heat pad in my coop brooder. Brooding inside the coop, makes integration easier IMO. I integrate at 4 weeks and they are roosting with the big girls at 6 weeks, with minimal problems. I use the panic door system for my coop brooder and have things inside the coop and run for them to scoot behind or go under, to get away from the big girls, if needed. I would not have a problem leaving my new chicks at 6 weeks. I also have no waste feeders(40 lbs of feed) and about 19 gallons of water, using horizontal nipples. The coop and run are secure and open 24/7. I leave my chickens for a week at a time and don't worry about them. If you don't have a good set up or can't get something set up, I would find someone.

Panic door on the brooder

6 weeks old, up on the roost.

 

[LizzzyJo]

Not even looking at the question of the 6 week olds, is the current plan for the older girls to lock them in the coop with 4 days of food and water?

No, they have a sitter. I have a neighbor teen come over morning and night for them.

 

[PirateGirl]

It seems the most important thing is that you either have two setups or you have them fully integrated before you go. I wouldn't just add them in with the big girls the day before you leave town for convenience and expect everything to go smoothly because they will need to integrate with the flock, adapt to the new coop/going to roost for the first time/etc., and adapt to the cold.

Sounds like you have a sitter, which is great. All of the above are still things to think about going forward whether the coop move and integration happens before or after you go out of town. Good luck! I'm sure things will be just fine.