Our Cornish Cross chickens are 3 1/2 weeks old and have been brought out to the A-frame tractor to forage and get used to their coop during nice days and brought back in at night and in any cold weather. Temps here in TN are unusually cold this winter and temps for the next 2 weeks are forecasted to be highs in the 40's and lows in the mid-20's. Does anyone out there have any experience raising this type of chicken in this cold weather? We really hate to watch them spend their short life in a box in the garage when they should be outdoors where they can move and be happy. Any advice on heat sources/lamps in the coop? Thanks in advance!
Raising Cornish Cross in cold weather
- Thread starter BynSilo
- Start date
The Cornish X I've had always seem to feather more slowly than other breeds. That said, I've had Freedom Rangers out at that age in the middle of winter. Do you have the means to put a heat lamp in their coop? That's what I do if it drops below the 40s till they're about 5 weeks old. Just use their behavior as a guide. If they crowd during the day, they're cold. They'll crowd at night no matter the age or temperature.
Sunny with highs in the 40's, they will do just fine. Night lows in the 20's , if they are in a dry coop
they will be fine. I have used a heat lamp in the past @ those night time temps. Dry coop and bedding is more important. They will go through more feed keeping warm, and growth rates will be slowed. I live in Wisconsin....looking at the long term forcast....no spring broilers this year. Last year was a long cold spring....and it showed in the extra weeks and feed for the broilers.
they will be fine. I have used a heat lamp in the past @ those night time temps. Dry coop and bedding is more important. They will go through more feed keeping warm, and growth rates will be slowed. I live in Wisconsin....looking at the long term forcast....no spring broilers this year. Last year was a long cold spring....and it showed in the extra weeks and feed for the broilers.
- Thread starter
- #4
Son Driven
In the Brooder
- Oct 17, 2022
- 8
- 25
- 33
Thanks mid October here in NE KANSAS got down to 32 this morning my 5 week CC all seemed hea lol they and ready to eat at sunrise. Tonight it is going down into the low 20's no rain. I am going to put out brooder lamps to be safe.
How long have they been without supplemental heat?
Are they outside?
Make sure the chickens have a place away from the lamps if they need it. At 5 weeks, they are probably feathered out and able to handle the cold without lamps. Give them a place out of the wind with a deep bed of hay and they will probably be OK.
I use heating mats for brooding, so I don't have to worry about the fire danger of heat lamps. By 4 weeks, my chicks are no longer using the mats for heat and sleep on top of the mama-heating pad cave, so I pull the heat source out completely.
Are they outside?
Make sure the chickens have a place away from the lamps if they need it. At 5 weeks, they are probably feathered out and able to handle the cold without lamps. Give them a place out of the wind with a deep bed of hay and they will probably be OK.
I use heating mats for brooding, so I don't have to worry about the fire danger of heat lamps. By 4 weeks, my chicks are no longer using the mats for heat and sleep on top of the mama-heating pad cave, so I pull the heat source out completely.
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