Moving outdoors temp minimum?

[Redbirdacres]

Yes, they are definitely adapting to the cooler temperatures.
How cold is the garage?

Chicks of that age can probably tolerate temperature drops of about 20 degrees per week until they reach whatever the outside temperature is (which will probably not take many weeks.)

We keep it open most days these days. We've had temps in the 40s most recently minus a recent cold snap and a little snow.

 

[NatJ]

We keep it open most days these days. We've had temps in the 40s most recently minus a recent cold snap and a little snow.

That sounds good!

When they are living at outdoor temperatures (or close-to-outdoor temperatures), then you can move them out.

Forecast says back to 40s and nights in the upper 20s and lower 30s again next week. I won't use a heat lamp so if they need heat, the heat plate is what I have.

If you're up for some chick-carrying, you could put them outdoors in the daytime, and bring them back into the garage (without heat) at night, then in a week or so start leaving them out overnight. You might try to have their first night outside be one of the warmer nights (like 30s rather than 20s.)

 

[3KillerBs]

Good morning!

We have 29 BJGs (for m that are running out of room. Hubby will hopefully build their tractor tomorrow so we can get them outside. The temps are increasing today and tomorrow however our forecast for next week has some overnight temps in the 20s. Will they be OK?

They should be well-feathered at that age, but since they're not acclimated that would be quite a shock. You'd risk them piling and suffocated trying to stay warm.

Can you give them a heat source out there with an extension cord?

I am in southern WI and my chicks are 7 weeks old in the coop with the heat lamp on. Our heating plate doesnt keep them warm enough. The heater will be coming out next week. It is suppose to be in the 70s this weekend though. So lets hope it stays that way. I also turn the light off when it is above 50 degrees.

7 weeks and still on heat? Are they a slow-feathering breed?

My 6 week olds have been off heat out in the coop for 2 weeks and are perfectly fine after 2 days of late frosts overnight but Australorp and Australorp crosses feather up quickly and they were brooded outdoors so they acclimated as their feathers grew to the point that I put them into the coop early because they'd started sleeping in the corner instead of under their heat plate.

 

[Redbirdacres]

They should be well-feathered at that age, but since they're not acclimated that would be quite a shock. You'd risk them piling and suffocated trying to stay warm.

Can you give them a heat source out there with an extension cord?



7 weeks and still on heat? Are they a slow-feathering breed?

My 6 week olds have been off heat out in the coop for 2 weeks and are perfectly fine after 2 days of late frosts overnight but Australorp and Australorp crosses feather up quickly and they were brooded outdoors so they acclimated as their feathers grew to the point that I put them into the coop early because they'd started sleeping in the corner instead of under their heat plate.

It's a great plate with low heat

 

[Redbirdacres]

That sounds good!

When they are living at outdoor temperatures (or close-to-outdoor temperatures), then you can move them out.


If you're up for some chick-carrying, you could put them outdoors in the daytime, and bring them back into the garage (without heat) at night, then in a week or so start leaving them out overnight. You might try to have their first night outside be one of the warmer nights (like 30s rather than 20s.)

I had an idea that I brought up to hubby this morning. Our tractor will be mobile so I'm wondering if we could pull it into the barn and close the doors at night if the temp drops again

 

[3KillerBs]

It's a great plate with low heat

Then if you can move it outside with them on an outdoor-rated extension cord they should be fine.

I have just-hatched babies out in my outdoor brooder at 31F overnight last night with their Big Red Bulb and their brooder plate.

 

[Ilovemychicks08]

They should be well-feathered at that age, but since they're not acclimated that would be quite a shock. You'd risk them piling and suffocated trying to stay warm.

Can you give them a heat source out there with an extension cord?



7 weeks and still on heat? Are they a slow-feathering breed?

My 6 week olds have been off heat out in the coop for 2 weeks and are perfectly fine after 2 days of late frosts overnight but Australorp and Australorp crosses feather up quickly and they were brooded outdoors so they acclimated as their feathers grew to the point that I put them into the coop early because they'd started sleeping in the corner instead of under their heat plate.

It is getting to 25-30 degrees farenheit out at night. They have been brooded outdoors since 3 weeks of age. Should i start slowly shutting the heat lamp off. The breeds i have are Black Australorp, Cinnamon Queen, Buff Orpington, Light Brahma and a Silver-Laced Wyandotte.

 

[rosemarythyme]

It is getting to 25-30 degrees farenheit out at night. They have been brooded outdoors since 3 weeks of age. Should i start slowly shutting the heat lamp off.

7 weeks old now right? You should've been weaning them off heat gradually for the last few weeks. Better than shutting it off would be using a dimmer, lower wattage bulbs, or if there's room, raising the lamp higher to reduce heat output.

 

[NatJ]

I am in southern WI and my chicks are 7 weeks old in the coop with the heat lamp on. Our heating plate doesnt keep them warm enough. The heater will be coming out next week. It is suppose to be in the 70s this weekend though. So lets hope it stays that way. I also turn the light off when it is above 50 degrees.

When you turn the lamp off at 50 degrees: is that the outdoor temperature, or the temperature in the area where the chicks are?

 

[3KillerBs]

It is getting to 25-30 degrees farenheit out at night. They have been brooded outdoors since 3 weeks of age. Should i start slowly shutting the heat lamp off. The breeds i have are Black Australorp, Cinnamon Queen, Buff Orpington, Light Brahma and a Silver-Laced Wyandotte.

At that age and in an outdoor setup I'm surprised that they're using the heat at all.

I only have a couple experiences with cold-season chicks, but both times as soon as they had feathers they started sleeping in the far corner away from the heat instead of in the warm place.