My four chicks are now 5 weeks old. They're in the house with no heat lamp (the bulb died, but they look and act completely comfortable). They're in a brooder box they've outgrown. I'd like to move them out onto the sun porch, in a much larger area, WITH a heat lamp. The problem is that it's still supposed to get down into the mid-20s over the next several nights. If I put them in the corner of the sun porch, they'll be surrounded (on two sides) by the house. I'm guessing the ambient temperature in that corner is at least 10 degrees warmer than outside. Plus they'll have a heat lamp pointed at them (which I can put very close to them). Do you think they'll be warm enough? Or should I keep the stinky, overcrowded brats in the house for another week?? If it's too cold now, how warm is "warm enough?" Thank for your advice. Michelle p.s.--I won't be ordering chicks in February again!
As long as you acclimate them slowly and have a draft free place, they should do fine outside. I have an enclosed hutch which I put 3 week old babies into with a heat lamp and they do fine. With a heat lamp, I think you could put them out, but you do need to make sure it is not drafty or they could still get chilled. I take out my heat lamp at 6 weeks or so when nights still get into the 30's, however, they are acclimated in the day hours with a run they can choose to go into, and their hutch is small so they can huddle up in it. If you can get them enclosed, with a heat lamp, they can go out. My guess is that as long as where they hang out to rest and heat up is in the 60-70 range, they will be fine.
Thank you. I was beginning to think it was a stupid question, because nobody answered. The sun porch is warm during the day, and is definitely draft-free. I'll get them out this weekend. They keep spilling their water, so the bedding gets really stinky!