Moving young chickens into the winter environment

[JAB123]

I have been raising some young chickens in a heated room in our barn. I am wondering when or how to move them from the 70 degree room to the cold winter conditions in the barn to be with the other adult chickens.? Two of them are about nine weeks old and five others are about five weeks old.

 

[Ridgerunner]

What kind of cold temperatures are you talking about? Cold to us humans is often just getting comfortable to chickens with their down coats.

I've had chicks 5-1/2 weeks old go through nights in the mid 20's Fahrenheit with no supplemental heat. These chicks were in my grow-out coop with great ventilation up high but great wind protection down low where they were. The conditions you are moving them into can be important. My 3' x 6' brooder is in the coop. I keep one end toasty but let the far end cool down as it will. Some mornings there was ice on that far end. Since my chicks were exposed to cold weather they were acclimated. They spread out all over that brooder, just going back to the warm area when they needed to warm up.

I don't have any idea what temperatures you chickens in the coop are experiencing, if you have a heated barn it's likely fairly cold. I don't know if you can provide a cooler area for yours to get acclimated. If you can that would be my suggestion, cool them off and see how they react. Let them tell you if they are ready or not.

Good luck!

 

[JAB123]

What kind of cold temperatures are you talking about? Cold to us humans is often just getting comfortable to chickens with their down coats.

I've had chicks 5-1/2 weeks old go through nights in the mid 20's Fahrenheit with no supplemental heat. These chicks were in my grow-out coop with great ventilation up high but great wind protection down low where they were. The conditions you are moving them into can be important. My 3' x 6' brooder is in the coop. I keep one end toasty but let the far end cool down as it will. Some mornings there was ice on that far end. Since my chicks were exposed to cold weather they were acclimated. They spread out all over that brooder, just going back to the warm area when they needed to warm up.

I don't have any idea what temperatures you chickens in the coop are experiencing, if you have a heated barn it's likely fairly cold. I don't know if you can provide a cooler area for yours to get acclimated. If you can that would be my suggestion, cool them off and see how they react. Let them tell you if they are ready or not.

Good luck!

Thanks a lot! The temps here now are anywhere from 0 to 30 F daytime and can get below zero at night on occasion. I think I will move them to the larger unheated area and provide a heat lamp in a corner should they need it. I am just worried about the drastic jump from 70 - 80 to 15 - 25 degrees. They are just getting too big and stir crazy in the small heated space they are in now. Thanks again!

 

[Mamatomany123]

Is there a way to lower the heat to get them acclimated? I currently have babies outside in the coop (with heat). We get down to the teens at night. I will slowly remove the heat like I did my bigger girls until they are at the same temperature as outside.

 

[JAB123]

I am attempting to do that. How slow is slowly? I currently got the temp down to high 50's as of this morning. For the oldest ones that is. The younger ones are at 70 - 75. Thanks!

 

[gimmie birdies]

I have seven 5 week old chicks in a shed away from the big hens. They do have a 60 w light chained in 3 spots. not going anywhere. They have areas they can get used to away from the light, and have the choice to go under in needed.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I am attempting to do that. How slow is slowly? I currently got the temp down to high 50's as of this morning. For the oldest ones that is. The younger ones are at 70 - 75. Thanks!

Your younger ones aren't that little, they could stand being at same temps as the older ones.

Since these aren't newborns I would drop by 5 degrees or so every few days. That's not too fast but gets the process moving along too.

 

[JAB123]

Thanks for all the help!!

 

[spartacus_63]

I put my three week old chickens in the coop during sub-freezing temps. They have access to a Brinsea 20 brooder, but they rarely use it. I made sure they all had their down coats on before I took them out though.