temperature ? re 5-6 wk chicks

newmama

Hatching
11 Years
May 21, 2008
6
0
7
New Mexico
I am a new chick owner and am staying up all night to check the temp in our outside house which is enclosed but with little airflow. During the day it can get up to 85-90degrees but at night it cools way down to 50-60degrees. So, I put in a fan (don't laugh) and a heat lamp. But... now I am obsessing about the temp and at the same time driving my husband crazy (he bought the chicks for me and thought I'd just throw them outside when they sported a few feathers and that would be that). WRONG. Can they get too cold? What is too cold? Can they get too hot? What is too hot? HELP! (If these ?'s have been already answered, sorry but I'm new to this...).
 
Hi! Welcome! During the day, a fan and some frozen water bottles may be good, and I do some applesauce fresh from the fridge as a treat. At night, keep the light, so if they do get chilled, they can go under it.

Husbands just have no idea, do they?
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Steph
 
By the book, so to speak, at 5 weeks old they need temps of 85 degrees and at 6 weeks 70 degrees. Therefore, the daytime temps would need to be cooler inside for them and the evening temps a bit warmer.

Realistically, a fan during the day is a good thing along with supplying them with with lots of fresh water and some shade. In the evenings, you should be able to close up their coop and them be okay with little or no heat.

They do not fully feather until around 8 weeks so, having some heat in there at night now is not a bad thing.

You should consider adding some "airflow" or ventilation to their coop though. They need that airflow and ventilation in thre to avoid respiratory problems. It can be done simply by cutting a couple of holes/vents and covering them with wire mesh to keep critters out.
 
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