Is it to cold for baby chicks outside?

[mj.marie88]

I live in eastern Washington and we have had a rather mild winter this year. Days have been in upper 40s to low 50s, drops into the 30s at night but not cold enough to freeze the water bowls. I had a hen go broody the beginning of January. I didn't really want chicks until spring but she was persistent so I caved and decided to give her some eggs to lay on. They should be hatching any day now and MY QUESTION IS: Is it to cold for them to live outside with their mother? Or should I bring them inside when they hatch? (mother and all, Im not going to separate the babies from their mom) If so, how long should I keep them inside for? A couple days? Until the weather is warmer? Or would they all be ok in the garage with a heat bulb or space heater (of course any heating device would be secure and safe)? Or will they be ok to stay outside? I know their mom can keep warm but they will have to move around to the feeder and water so would that be to cold for them?

I have been back on forth on what to do so any advice or experience is greatly appreciated. Thank you!
Oh and I have a flock of 12 Americauna chickens, just so ya know what breed I'm dealing with. They do really good in the cold, just not sure about freshly hatched babies.

 

[fawndane]

They will be fine with their mother, she will protect them against harsh weather. Hens have been raising their babies for decades. The mother hen will always be around with her babies. She teaches them how to eat and drink and will be there the whole time.

 

[Amer]

I have heard of plenty of hens hatching eggs in the middle of January. Not my cup of tea, because I don't want to have to make sure they are ok in subzero weather, (because I am frantic about their safety) but you can do it. The chicks will run out from under her, but they will come back when they get cold, so don't worry about them.

 

[TexasSam]

Do you have a brooder

 

[pasuit]

Do you have a brooder

I live in eastern Washington and we have had a rather mild winter this year. Days have been in upper 40s to low 50s, drops into the 30s at night but not cold enough to freeze the water bowls. I had a hen go broody the beginning of January. I didn't really want chicks until spring but she was persistent so I caved and decided to give her some eggs to lay on. They should be hatching any day now and MY QUESTION IS: Is it to cold for them to live outside with their mother? Or should I bring them inside when they hatch? (mother and all, Im not going to separate the babies from their mom) If so, how long should I keep them inside for? A couple days? Until the weather is warmer? Or would they all be ok in the garage with a heat bulb or space heater (of course any heating device would be secure and safe)? Or will they be ok to stay outside? I know their mom can keep warm but they will have to move around to the feeder and water so would that be to cold for them?

I have been back on forth on what to do so any advice or experience is greatly appreciated. Thank you!
Oh and I have a flock of 12 Americauna chickens, just so ya know what breed I'm dealing with. They do really good in the cold, just not sure about freshly hatched babies.

 

[mj.marie88]

I figured they would be ok to stay outside with their mom just fine but I was starting to doubt myself so thank you for reassuring me that they will be ok. I do have a brooder for back up if needed.

 

[pasuit]

I'm having the same problem. One of my hens went broody and I pulled her eggs for a long while so she hide them and I just found them. Not sure when they will hatch but will watch and put them in my brooder at least until they feather and get too big for it. Then I'll probably put them in a makeshift separate pen in the coop with a light until I feel they will be OK loose. That just my preference.

 

[mj.marie88]

I'm having the same problem. One of my hens went broody and I pulled her eggs for a long while so she hide them and I just found them. Not sure when they will hatch but will watch and put them in my brooder at least until they feather and get too big for it. Then I'll probably put them in a makeshift separate pen in the coop with a light until I feel they will be OK loose. That just my preference.

Yea I was collecting all the eggs and trying to deter her from her nest for over a week (which worked on a couple different hens before, to stop their broodiness) but she was definitely very persistent so I caved and gave her some eggs to hatch. I really didn't want chicks in jan/Feb but she talked me into it. lol (Only because the fairly mild winter we have had, I haven't even needed to plug in my heated water bowls since December).

 

[Chickie805]

I put my two day old chicks and mama hen (we swapped out eggs for chicks while she was broody), in a dog kennel out in the main chicken run. I covered it at night with a blanket and no heat lamp. I live in the California coast and it’s in the high forties at night. The one mistake I did make is that on day one I opened the crate so the chicks could explore outside, then closed it up in the evening when they were all under mom. I did not count them, and one of them was left outside. Sadly, she did not survive the night. I have obsessively counted them three or four times a day now and will never close up a coop or henhouse again without counting. I also swapped out the crate for a larger dog house that is all wood with one screened door so they have ventilation and light. They all seem happy here so no more exploring for now. I think I will wait until mom shows signs of being annoyed with them, then move them to a whole separate coop and put her back with the flock.