question about temp Update: Coop finished!! :D

[lac1975]

My little chicks are running out of space in the brooder pen. I am going to start building today on their coop and will hopefully have it finished by tomorrow at the latest, and I really need to go ahead move them when it's done. My question is would they be able to stay in it overnight. I live north central Texas and temps have been in the lower to upper 90's during the day. Then they drop down to the lower 70's at night (at least right now). I won't have electricity in the coop and wouldn't be able to run a light at night. Would residual heat from during the day be enough for them to be okay? I am just really concerned because of the lack of space, and they are flapping around, etc. I don't want them hurting themselves or each other.

Thank you in advance!

 

[JodyJo]

hmm, how old are they? They really need the warm temps till they at least feather out...can you run an extension cord to the coop? They can't regulate their body temps, so 70 at night isn't enough if they are still very young.

 

[lac1975]

Most are about 4 wks or a little older and have quite a bit of feathers. Some still have down just on their heads. My banties are pretty well feathered but I planned on keeping them in the brooder pen because they are smaller (plus I plan on keeping them separate as adults anyway). I can try the extension cord but I don't know if it'll work.

I don't want them getting too cold. But I also don't want them to start pecking or stomping each other to death...

 

[JodyJo]

if it is getting to 70's you should be alright at 4 weeks...you figure, 95* the first week, 90* the 2nd, and so forth...around 4 weeks they should be alright...give it a try and see if they are all huddled together in the morning...if so, you may need to supplement the heat a bit, how many do you have?

 

[lac1975]

Minus the banties, I have 19 chicks.

 

[Happy Chooks]

They'll be fine if it's only getting into the 70's at night. Great way for them to acclimate. I've put 5 week olds outside without a lamp with the lows lower than that.

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

They should be fine.

 

[lac1975]

Thank y'all for the help! Don't feel quite as nervous about it now... I will just make sure I check on some before bedtime and make sure they're doing ok.

 

[cochicks]

I live in Colorado. I put my four week old outside with temps in the upper 80's during the day and 50's at night. No heat lamp, but they do have an insulated, draft free hen house to sleep in. They've been outside for about a week now, and they are doing great. Mine are all EE's and they were mostly feathered when we kicked them out of the garage.

 

[gale65]

When ours were 10 days we lost power and it was 65-70 in the coop. They didn't seem to mind-they walked around, ate, drank, etc and didn't even snuggle together. I had a makeshift heat thing in there from a thermacare wrap and they didn't snuggle up to it either. Yesterday am it was around 70 and they were acting perfectly normal. Even with a broody hen, chicks aren't kept warm 24/7 other than the first day or so I think.