Keeping 8 week olds warm at 33 degrees!

[kittykate3]

So yesterday it was almost 80 degrees here. My 12 chicks are 7 & 8 weeks old and have been in the coop for 3 days. Tonight it's supposed to rain and drop to 35 degrees! I'm afraid to use a heat lamp in the coop, what can I do to keep them warm?
I've had a number of people say just a bunch of extra bedding and they'll be fine, but my mother in law (who has never had chickens) is convinced I will kill them all without the heat lamp. I did undo a bale of straw and have another one on hand just in caserror but, she's walking around under her breathe saying things like
"Go ahead. Your birds"
"Hopefully the chickens don't freeze to death"
"Hopefully they aren't dead in the morning"
I'm freaked out! Help PLEASE!

 

[SueT]

They are 8 weeks, they'll be fine.

 

[kulachicks]

I am in Wisconsin and my 7 week olds are in the coop and just fine.

 

[kittykate3]

Thank you! I just wanna be a good chicken mom and make sure they're gonna be ok! Someone showed me the picture chart and it said they wouldn't be ok in those Temps until 12 weeks!
They're all cuddled together but seem ok.

 

[SueT]

You might like reading thru this thread:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1162578/moving-chicks-to-the-coop

 

[21hens-incharge]

My goobers are in the coop as young as 5 weeks no lamp. We have been down to 33 last night with a cold north wind. Mine are just fine. Tonight and tomorrow will be cold too.

Not the first group I have raised by far.

Perhaps you can let her know that you are more worried about a fire. If a fire were to start it would surely kill them all. Let her know that you do care about them and that she is causing you more worry.

 

[kittykate3]

My goobers are in the coop as young as 5 weeks no lamp. We have been down to 33 last night with a cold north wind. Mine are just fine. Tonight and tomorrow will be cold too.

Not the first group I have raised by far.

Perhaps you can let her know that you are more worried about a fire. If a fire were to start it would surely kill them all. Let her know that you do care about them and that she is causing you more worry.

Thank you! I told her that I asked for advice on many different sites and chicken clubs, and that all but 1 out of 27 replies said they would be fine.
She doesn't believe me, but with all the wonderful support I'm getting, I'm pretty confident that I will wake up with all 12 staring at me for breakfast
Thank you again!!!

 

[Fairview01]

Eh, they're probably going to get a bit ore friendlier tonight than in previous night. Granted I live in TX and it isn't that cold however I unceremoniously poured y 2 week old chicks into their coop. For a fully feathered chicken such as yours low temps aren't the problem. They got feathers. When low temps are coupled with a drafty coop, then that's a problem for even adult birds. Yours will be just fine.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Yup!! AND with 12 they will make a cute chickie pile if they get chilly.
I have 14 in my group and they have not had a heat source in a full week. I am not worried about mine and I am sure you should not be worried.

Mine have been out running in the run before it gets above 40 out by the way. I can see them from my kitchen window so I know they do that every day.

 

[kittykate3]

My coop is a 8x10 metal shed, it did have quite a few open spaces yesterday morning, but I went through with spray foam insulation and got all the sunlit spaces on the floor. Let it cure and trimmed it. Today I covered the floor with a bale and a half of straw. They have vents we put in at the top to allow air circulation, but I also foamed those. Hopefully I've done a good enough job of it!