SEVEN week old chicks...OKAY???

[m2wandc]

is it okay to have 7 week old chicks in the coop outside at night without any sorce of heat?

I believe they are fully feathers (or darn near there)

They haven't had a heat lamp on them for several weeks, they've been indoors and our house is kept at 70 degrees F.

They have been going outside during the day and then back inside at night.

They are currently outside in the coop/run...the weather says the low will be 53 degrees F tonight...is that too cold for their first night out?

 

[citygirl]

I think that they will be fine if they are closed up for the night. They will keep each other warm. Good luck with your babies.

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

I moved my 4 week old chicks outside without a heat lamp. They all went inside the coop at night. Didnt have any problems.

 

[~*Sweet Cheeks*~]

I think they'd be ok. Move their brooder out with them so they have the option to snuggle down in something familiar.

That's what I did when I put mine out at 6 wks. They slept in the brooder for a month or so, then started to use the roost.

I'd always lock them up in the coop at night as long as you only have chicken wire around the run.

Good luck with the first night out.

 

[m2wandc]

They would be locked up in the coop and not have access to the 'run' part of it during the night...

I don't think the brooder would fit in there, because it's too tall...if I put it in, there wouldn't be any way for them to fly up and 'get into it' if that makes sense...

We just brought them in for tonight...it's going to be in the 50's as the night time low for at least the next 10 days...so I guess at some point in this week, they will have to endure it...

...they seem to like to roost on the edge of the rubbermaid container so I'm guessing they'll like to roost in their coop soon...tomorrow I might go make a couple alterations to the set up and give it a whirl tomorrow night...

 

[m2wandc]

giving it a whirl tonight...hoping for the best...how will I know if it was too cold during the night???

the low says 51 degrees F (between 2-5am)

 

[CrazyChickMom]

Is it possible to put a light out there to keep them warm if they need it? That way you wouldn't have to worry. It's cold here too, high of 40 at night.

 

[m2wandc]

Can't get a light out there

They are still alive this morning...but I'm guessing it was a chilly night for them...they seemed a little 'slow' this morning when I opened the door...one was hunkered down under the roosting stand and the other one near the door...I wonder if they hunkered together at all or both just found an open spot and went to bed???

Wish I had a camera in there to see what they were doing all night...