Need winter brooding advice!

[AkaskaAve]

Hi All,

We have just hatched two BLRW/Ameraucana chicks in our basement. They are one week apart, and 2 and 3 weeks old. Problem, they are in the basement and although we keep a clean box, they aren't exactly air fresheners... We are in SW Michigan so winters get cold, but were hanging +/- 10 degrees from freezing lately. I don't want to separate Mama from her chicks. Our coop is pretty protected, so, I need advice on how/when to move them all out there safely. There are five other hens out there and our rooster who is their other parent. They have a safe covered pen outside the coop, but what if they get outside?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

So as I understand it, the hen is in the basement too.
I would have left them in the coop from the beginning.
The problem now is that your temps will be going below zero so I wouldn't move them out now since they're not acclimated.
I would wait till this spate of frigid weather passes, probably a couple weeks. Then it would be nice if you can slowly acclimate them. The hen will keep the chicks warm but she's not acclimated from basement temps to zero.
Perhaps you have a garage or place you can heat to about 40 for a couple days and then wait till the outside temps get closer to freezing.

 

[AkaskaAve]

Great idea, thanks you!