Still a newbie here, but I guess my chicks aren't babies anymore. We have 9 Silkies, 2 months old. They are not out of the house 24/7 because their coop is not done yet, just a fenced in run. I have them out today, but its only around 60 degrees. Its partly cloudy with sun shining off and on. I just don't know if that is too cool, (we are having an unusually cold and wet spring here, normally its in the 80's by now), so they still spend a lot of time in the house (they are always in from evening on). I still even have the heat lamp on sometimes. I hate to keep them inside, not only are they kinda cramped, they are stinking me to death in my livingroom, LOL! Any advice?
I don't have a coop yet, just the chicken run without electricity right now. We are working on the coop, and I plan to put a heat lamp inside when its finished because we still have some pretty cool nights here, but I am just trying to decide if they are okay outside in this temp with only partial sun. I can go outside without a jacket, but I am usaully much warmer than everyone else so its hard for me to judge. Hmmm....I just called the temp., its only 59.....
If you're talking about letting your chicks outdoors during the day, you can just observe them. When they're too cold, they'll peep loudly in that unmistakeable way they do. That's their cue to their mother hen (in your case, you) to warm them up.
I have my 8 week old chicks outside and there are only 3 of them. If they are cold they huddle. So put them out during the day and back in at night. At least your house will air out for a few hours.
Thanks for the advice. I kinda thought they would probably huddle together , but they aren't and no one is complaining so I guess they must be okay! : )
in vermont, I kicked my 5 week old Sex links out of the brooder and into the 'big girl coop'. They have a smallish cat carrier that they all pile into at night to stay extra warm (and safe from any pecking from the big hens)... it's been in the 40s at night, and they are all totally fine and happy. in and out all day, even in the drizzly rain!
One thing you can do to is borrow a rabbit hutch from a friend or get one through craig's list. One with an enclosed sleeping area, reinforced with hardware cloth. You could add heat with a lamp & extension cord for night time. They are out of the house but can sill be kept close to the house, righ outside the door! Perfect set up for 9 silkies. Brenda
My chicks are 6 weeks old, and were just moved outside without a heat lamp. At night it's in the low fifties, and in the 60's during the day. That's unusually cool for us. But they're doing great!
I don't know why silkies would be any different from other chickens. If they've been weaned slowly off their heat lamp, they shouldn't need heat past 6 weeks or so. The rule is 90-95 degrees the first week, decreasing by 5 degrees a week until you get down to 70 degrees (week 5). After that they should be okay without heat unless it's wet, damp or below freezing.
