Too cold for 10 week old chicks?

[elizamamma]

Hi there,
I know the answer is "they will be fine" but I'd like some reassurance please. I'm a first time chick raiser, and our 10 week old chicks have been outside for a few weeks. There are four of them and they are happy in their coop, but here in Massachusetts it has been unseasonably warm until now. Last night it went down to 25, and tonight it will be in the teens. Will they really be warm enough outside? The coop isn't insulated but it's a good heavy duty coop. And should I keep it sealed up during the day? Normally open up the windows to air it out.

Thanks!
Liz

 

[lilmillefleur]

If they have a warm heat source they should be fine. Good luck!
Wer'e having the same problem, we live in MA too! Brrr!!

 

[Sublight]

Consider this. They are bigger then the red birds, etc. that you have around. Those wild birds survive just fine in the cold, and they don't have the body mass that your 10 week old chicks have.
A birds body is unique how it is designed to handle the cold. Such as TEENY TINY amounts of blood to the feet etc. Their feet never freeze right? Its crazy. They are fine. I assure they are tougher VS the cold then we are.

 

[elizamamma]

If they have a warm heat source they should be fine. Good luck!
Wer'e having the same problem, we live in MA too! Brrr!!

We don't have a heat source out there, haven't had one since before they moved outside, but hoping Sublight is correct, and good point about the wild birds, Sublight.

Thanks everyone!

 

[auntiesocial]

Here in Colorado sometimes chickens feet do freeze. Chickens can lose toes to frostbite.
What kind of perches are you using? Can they hunker down over their toes to keep them warm? I use smoothed 2x4s with the wide sides up so that the chickens can warm their toes.
How is the ventilation in your coop? Ventilation in a winter coop is extremely important. Chickens need to be protected from drafts, but moisture buildup in the coop leads to frostbite. For that reason I don't keep water inside the coop.
Are your chickens cold hardy breeds? Most breeds are fine, but some kinds of chickens are more susceptible to cold.

 

[chickens really]

Yes, they will be fine....They are now Pullets or Cockerels and not Chicks anymore...I'm in Canada....I wish it was in the teens....your talking 25F right .....I go by Celsius..

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Hi, welcome to BYC!

You got mostly good answers already. I disagree with the one that says if they have a heat source... Their body is their heat source and the feathers are their insulation. They are wearing down jacket, oooh toasty!

Anyways, regarding the window... it should be ventilated, not sealed up just as long as there isn't a strong wind blowing across where they perch at night. Moisture build up is what causes frost bite. Look around if your windows are dripping inside, it's an indicator. Remember moisture is being exhaled every time they breath. If you trap it all in it can get pretty wet. General recommendation is 1 square foot of ventilation PER bird. But it really helps if you have it above their heads because ammonia rises and you don't want them sitting in it breathing it.

Good luck and congrats on your birds. They are now considered teens or juveniles, pullets or cockerels... I enjoy them much more once they mature and come into their own. Also note a mama hen would easily have booted them out from under her wing by 8 weeks, and that's for my really long brooding girls. Most are booted by 6 weeks.

 

[elizamamma]

Thanks everyone! I'll make sure that there is sufficient ventilation, thanks for the tip about dripping windows. The pullets (!) told me that they are, in fact, big girls and to stop treating them like babies. Pretty soon they'll be slamming doors and scowling at me

Liz

 

[junebuggena]

They will be fine. I've had younger chicks than that, outside in a coop with no heat, in colder temperatures. As long as they are feathered in and have shelter, they can handle just about anything an adult can.

 

[Sublight]

People also get nervous about heat. So they put fans on their chickens. This is actually a bad idea.
When air blows on our skin, we get cooler because of 2 main reasons.
1. We sweat, and the evaporating sweat cools us.
2. The air evaporates moisture in our skin.

A chicken has neither one of these things.
So if the air that you are blowing on that chicken is HOTTER then the chickens body temp, then you are actually heating up the chicken. (Heat is absorbed, there is no evaporation).

The only thing that isn't insulated is their feet. So you are mainly blowing air on feathers that are DESIGNED to block air off their skin.
To keep them cool, give them water, shade, and ventilation. They are fine.

Chickens are WAAAAY tougher then we give them credit for. They are really amazing animals.