Hi all.
I know this has been addressed a lot, but I had a tough time finding actual temperature guidlines.
I have been letting the gals go outside now for a couple weeks, during the day. It has been quite warm here in Tucson this year, up to 90F today. They have water, shade, etc. and do great during the day. Tonight is the first night I have considered leaving them outside, overnight. Three of the four are feathered out. One just is not growing at the same rate as the others, and is still pretty 'downy'. She huddles up w/the others, and I have not had the heat lamp on inside the house for several days now. She seems okay. They have a cage with straw that I put them all into at night. I put this cage into the main coop w/my two older hens (they are up in their nesting boxes. The cage is on the ground, but the coop is in a corner of the yard where it is surrounded on three sides by either a wall or part of the house, a couple yards away. (Hope that made sense) I also have some blankets that are pulled down over the top half, mostly to block out the streetlight, but also to help hold in any warmth. It is not completely covered up, and it is open at the bottom, so there is air circulation. In other words, it is a pretty sheltered area.
I got all of them at a feed store on March 3rd..........so, several weeks ago now.
It is going to be 57 or 58F tonight.
Am I jumping the gun here? Is this too cold to leave them outside all night? I has convinced myself that it was time for them to be out, but am having my doubts. Especially about the one who doesn't seem quite as grown.
Thanks for any advice!!
Cheers,
Stacy
I know this has been addressed a lot, but I had a tough time finding actual temperature guidlines.
I have been letting the gals go outside now for a couple weeks, during the day. It has been quite warm here in Tucson this year, up to 90F today. They have water, shade, etc. and do great during the day. Tonight is the first night I have considered leaving them outside, overnight. Three of the four are feathered out. One just is not growing at the same rate as the others, and is still pretty 'downy'. She huddles up w/the others, and I have not had the heat lamp on inside the house for several days now. She seems okay. They have a cage with straw that I put them all into at night. I put this cage into the main coop w/my two older hens (they are up in their nesting boxes. The cage is on the ground, but the coop is in a corner of the yard where it is surrounded on three sides by either a wall or part of the house, a couple yards away. (Hope that made sense) I also have some blankets that are pulled down over the top half, mostly to block out the streetlight, but also to help hold in any warmth. It is not completely covered up, and it is open at the bottom, so there is air circulation. In other words, it is a pretty sheltered area.
I got all of them at a feed store on March 3rd..........so, several weeks ago now.
It is going to be 57 or 58F tonight.
Am I jumping the gun here? Is this too cold to leave them outside all night? I has convinced myself that it was time for them to be out, but am having my doubts. Especially about the one who doesn't seem quite as grown.
Thanks for any advice!!
Cheers,
Stacy
Last edited:
