Reassurance please...

[Coolbreeze89]

I’ve read the many related threads, and I believe you will all tell me that they’ll be fine, but...first time with chicks in Texas “winter”. I have 25 6-week old chicks that I have brooded in my basement. I have had heat lamps off for a couple weeks, and room temp has been mid60s. For the last couple weeks during the day, I put them in a separate run if 50 degrees or higher outside and they did great. This week, I have been having them spend their days in their new (temp) home: a 4x8ft (4ft tall) private coop, with an adjoining run that is all within the main chicken run (look but don’t touch integration to my 30 hens and 3 Roos). It has a roost, windows that I open during the day (hardware cloth covered), but will close when cold/windy. The entrance to their coop is 4x4 (half of the front wall) into their run. I have pine bedding in their coop, and a plastic tub on its side to block off wind from door and to give them an area to huddle. Being in central Texas, we have highs now in the 60s, but lows down to mid-30s, but no rain for now. WILL THEY BE OK IF I PUT THEM OUTSIDE FULL TIME? I’M SO SCARED TO KILL THEM!!!! Thanks for humoring me. Nervous mama.... So much effort to get them to this point... but so much effort to keep cleaning up the basement with that many chicks inside...

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

They will be okay

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

These guys were 5 weeks old...I moved them out (this was my last batch brooded indoors, I now have a wired coop and brood out there from day 1) and the next day a storm moved through dropping temps into the low 20s.....they were happy as clams in their unheated coop

 

[SweetTea&Chicks]

They'll be okay. They will have enough feathers at 6 weeks old to keep warm and plus they'll have eachother too to huddle together.

 

[imnukensc]

They'll be fine.

 

[Coolbreeze89]

THANK YOU ALL!!

 

[Coolbreeze89]

Of course, they were fine! I MIGHT have waited a couple days til we had lows only in 40s forecasted... . They did great last night, down to 42. I am so relieved (and so thankful I can clean my basement)! Thanks again to all.

 

[RollTideChicken]

Chickens are very good at keeping themselves warm, so yea they'll be fine, even at that age.
If I were you, I'd be making plans to keep them cool come summer time...I hear Texas heat can be brutal.
Good luck!

 

[StephanieRose44]

I was the same way about a week ago when I moved my chicks outside. I live in NY it was -7 one night here and I just could not believe it when people said as long as they have shelter and are kept out of the wind/no drafts they will be fine. I was terrified they would all be dead the next morning but they were fine !!