Putting chicks outside in the winter

[sandjjones]

I have 8 chicks and 4 guineas under the light. They don’t need the light anymore. They are a foot tall at least. I worry about putting them out in a coop, don’t want them to get cold. It is down to the 30’s here in SE Oklahoma. Help

 

[Kiki]

Welcome to BYC!
Can you post a few pictures of your birds and your coop?

 

[B-Goock]

I just do the 5 degree every week method. If they are fully feathered that should probably be fine.

 

[azygous]

A foot tall. Could they be around ten weeks old? Even though they've not actually required heat for five or six weeks now, at least, they do need to be gradually acclimatized to colder temps before moving outside.

Turning off their heat was the first step. Next, make their room a bit cooler each night by blocking the heat vent to their room, and finally, cracking a window to make it quite cool at night right before you wish to move them into the coop.

In addition, start taking them outside for increasingly longer romps on nice days. This is what's called "hardening" against the cold. By doing this, after about a week, they will be able to move outside with maybe just a little heat at night for the first few nights.

 

[B-Goock]

From day old drop 5 degrees per week until your to the lowest ambient outdoor temps.