Should we throw the babies OUTSIDE - Need Advice

[Enchanted1s]

Thanks in advance for your wisdom! Sorry the post is a bit long...
Our babies are now 7 weeks old. We bought only three. They seem happy and healthy and have had no issues - other than a scraped toe on Little Bit. I am concerned about putting them out in the cold. We have been taking them outside almost every day [Temps 45 to 65] but when the sun starts going down, so do the temps and the babies are being taught to 'Follow Mom' as dad keeps prevents any adventures with the net from behind - back to the house. The temps at night have been mostly in the low 20's at night. Some nights in the teens but very few above 32.

These babies arrived on their 3rd day and started out in a single plastic container brooder in my grow tent. Within a few days they outgrew that and I added a second container with a tunnel between the two. Within a few weeks they needed something bigger and we found a playpen. I have fans and filters in my grow room - THANK GOODNESS! I love the little hens, but they STINK! I want them out of the house because they stink, but I am also concerned that I am making them weak by keeping them at 68 degrees at night! BUT, if I throw them out and the get sick - or freeze!!! It would be hard to forgive myself for that.

We do not have a garage - or any out building that has electricity. I would have to run extension cords to have power. AND, we live very close to the railroad. I am concerned that the trains may cause the extension cord to come unplugged during the night (it has happened during the day - bigger trains at night). I do have a barn, but not fully enclosed. I am in the process of building a new coop for the babies, but it is NOT close to done.

What should I do ? I have plenty of cages and plenty of outdoor space. My outdoor flock (1 Rooster, 1 Hen, & 2 Pullets) have been allowed to see but not touch during the day. Some days they come and drink the babies water and sit with them for a bit - some days they don't. The flock has free range during the day. There is room for a cage in the flocks run, but it is completely covered and gets zero sun. I have been thinking perhaps I could make them a temporary coop in an area that would be draft free for night time and move them to a cage in the sun during the day - but I am still worried that they would be too cold. Am I going to have to keep them in my grow room until spring?

Picture was from the 8th - they grow so fast! This was the first day they started walking to and from the house.

 

[Folly's place]

They need to be out there!!! You can set them up in a cage in the coop with their own food and water, and let them range with the adults during the day, as they are already doing. Bed the cage deep and add a 'huddle box' although they should be fine anyway.
Mine are out in those temps much younger!
Is your coop big enough for everyone? Extra space and more feeders and waterers help with transitions.
Your method of running extension cords gives me the 'willies'! Redo it ASAP; consult with an electrician, rent a trencher, and bury a line per code. Be safe and keep your birds safe!
Mary

 

[AllenK RGV]

They need to be out there!!! You can set them up in a cage in the coop with their own food and water, and let them range with the adults during the day, as they are already doing. Bed the cage deep and add a 'huddle box' although they should be fine anyway.
Mine are out in those temps much younger!
Is your coop big enough for everyone? Extra space and more feeders and waterers help with transitions.
Your method of running extension cords gives me the 'willies'! Redo it ASAP; consult with an electrician, rent a trencher, and bury a line per code. Be safe and keep your birds safe!
Mary

I agree with Mary particularly concerning electricity. Your profile shows you are in New Mexico so labor should be cheap and readily available. If this isn't a project you can accomplish on your own handymen are dime a dozen on craigslist.

 

[Rubysword]

They look to be fully feathered already, so they should be good, as long as you have a windproof coop.

 

[Enchanted1s]

So - everyone is saying just throw them out? No transition period where they go out for a few hours and then back in?

ELECTRICITY - I do not like the thought of the extension cords either. The concern of loosing power is more of a probability than a possibility. You all feel confident that they would be OK without any heat?? They have been without any heat source for a couple of weeks - but they have NEVER felt temps below 45-50 . There is just no way that I can get power outside right now. There are no spare pennies, but ever cent I can muster has been going towards the 2nd coop and firewood for the house. I've needed power even before the chickens flew over, but for now - it is buy feed etc for the animals or electricity.

ALSO - the babies have only been outside in a cage (other than the walk to and from). I allow the flock to free range around them.

 

[Enchanted1s]

Well, we couldn't do it! I put together a nice cozy cage, with several layers of insulation and about 4" of pine shavings, but I am just too concerned that a 40 degree temperature change would be too much for them! I put a bigger pen for them (during the day) that is right in front of the coops - in the middle of the chocks area. The flock comes to check them out and drink their water. None seem aggressive at all and don't make any noise around the babies - a good sign?

 

[Brahma27]

I'd put them out ONLY if you have a heat lamp.They should be able to be in 50-60 degrees
when they want to.

 

[shadowfox]

@Enchanted1s Where in NM are you? I'm in ABQ.
I'd keep em in the house at night, but then let them be outside for as long as possible. That way they can get used to colder temps. And then in a week or two when they are fully feathered they'll be ready!

 

[Enchanted1s]

@Brahma27 I do not have a dependable power source outside.
@shadowfox Hi neighbor. We are in Los Chavez (near Belen). This is exactly what we have been doing - taking them outside as much as possible. I even took them out in that wind last week! I put a wind block on two sides of the pen, but it was still pretty cold that day and they did fine.

I have asked, here on BYC, several times HOW DO I KNOW WHEN THEY ARE FULLY FEATHERED? But no one ever answers that question. On Facebook, a couple of folks said 9 to 11 weeks, so I guess we will go with that. They are 8 weeks today. I was wondering if maybe we should try letting them all out together a few hours today? They have been able to see but not touch (almost) every day for a couple of weeks?

Initially, we felt that the current coop is too small to add the babies? The sleeping coop is a box about 30 inches square with an attached bachelor pad (nesting box). I let Rudy sleep there because he likes it and teaching Tootie to lay in a different nest box was no problem. Anyway, we have Rudy, Tootie and two almost laying pullets in there now. Now, I am wondering if everyone would be warmer in there with the three extra bodies?

I put that little cage in the corner of the structure and wrapped it in a blanket. I left the top open for ventilation. I put a thermometer in there and this morning it said 10 degrees. TOO cold for the babies.

 

[Folly's place]

Most are feathered out by six weeks of age; having them warm too long delays feathering slightly, and of course Silkies and frizzles don't have the insulation that 'normally' feathered birds have.
Mary