Moving 7 week olds

[Sparrowsong98]

I am moving my 7 week olds out. I waited a week as they didn't seem quite ready last week. But... It is a high of fifty. I have to move them out now, as I will not have another chance until spring. Here is my plan:
Move them out into the coop, put a tarp around the cage they will live in to keep heat in, and check throughout the day to see if they are huddling. If they are, I will put a lamp in. Will this work?

 

[staceyj]

Tarps are fine but remember even in cold weather you need ventilation so moisture doesn't build up.
Cold is different than wet and cold.
There are other kinds of heaters to consider too.

And homemade things that don't require electricity.

you can make a "wool hen" from a box, crate, laundry basket etc. with strips of polar fleece hanging down. They can go in there to snuggle and get warm.

Personally I'd be hesitant to put a heating lamp outside in a coop. Fire hazard.
It'd be bad enough to burn my coop down but I'd cry if I lost my chickens.

 

[azygous]

Chicks do much better with cold if acclimatized gradually to it. It's better to turn off their heat while they're still indoors to get them used to cooler temps. This can occur as early as three weeks. Then day trips outdoors further introduces them to cooler temps. Chicks handle 70F at age two weeks without heat for a few hours. By age five weeks, most chicks are fully feathered and can then move outdoors without heat as long as the nights are above freezing.

At age seven weeks, your chicks are fully feathered but they've yet to acclimatize to cooler temps. I'd start with day trips outdoors, and no heat at night indoors. It would only take a week of this and they'd be able to be comfortable living outdoors with no heat at your temps.

 

[chickens really]

Do what your planning to do..They will be fine..By far they are ready to be outside in the coop...They will be so happy..

 

[Sublight]

This is why I bought my silkies. So they can handle all of that. But im in NorthWest Florida, so it does not get that cold here. 20 degrees on our coldest day.

 

[lazy gardener]

Have you been taking them out during the day? If not, give them a day or two outside, all day long. Then move them out permanently. Give them a wool hen or a huddle box. (This, more for your peace of mind than for their need!) Don't let them sleep in the nest box!!! They are more than ready, but a very often missed part of brooding chicks is weaning them! Starting after the first week, it's important to be working towards making them independent of an outside heat source. The chicks will set the pace, it's up to the flock owner to take his cues from the chicks and wean appropriately according to the conditions when brooding.

For this reason, I prefer using a Mother Heating Pad Cave, and never intend to use a heat lamp again. Chicks using the MHP wean themselves with very little intervention/guidance from the flock owner.

 

[Sparrowsong98]

Chicks do much better with cold if acclimatized gradually to it. It's better to turn off their heat while they're still indoors to get them used to cooler temps. This can occur as early as three weeks. Then day trips outdoors further introduces them to cooler temps. Chicks handle 70F at age two weeks without heat for a few hours. By age five weeks, most chicks are fully feathered and can then move outdoors without heat as long as the nights are above freezing.

At age seven weeks, your chicks are fully feathered but they've yet to acclimatize to cooler temps. I'd start with day trips outdoors, and no heat at night indoors. It would only take a week of this and they'd be able to be comfortable living outdoors with no heat at your temps.

They have been off of heat for a long time now. I have been bringing them out, but necks are still fuzzy last week, so I thought the move should wait a bit.

 

[Sparrowsong98]

Tarps are fine but remember even in cold weather you need ventilation so moisture doesn't build up.
Cold is different than wet and cold.
There are other kinds of heaters to consider too.

And homemade things that don't require electricity.

you can make a "wool hen" from a box, crate, laundry basket etc. with strips of polar fleece hanging down. They can go in there to snuggle and get warm.

Personally I'd be hesitant to put a heating lamp outside in a coop. Fire hazard.
It'd be bad enough to burn my coop down but I'd cry if I lost my chickens.

We have a 25 chicken coop with outlets and electricity, so burning the place down is of no concern. I would just hang the light from a hook we have in the ceiling and plug it in.

 

[lazy gardener]

Fuzzy neck feathers are not an issue. As long as the chicks have feathered wings and feathered backs, they should be fine. better to acclimate them now before the weather gets colder.

 

[Sparrowsong98]

Fuzzy neck feathers are not an issue. As long as the chicks have feathered wings and feathered backs, they should be fine. better to acclimate them now before the weather gets colder.

Putting them out right now. They are polish. Will I have any trouble introducing to a non polish flock?