Too cold for 6 week old chickens?

[jessicaroo]

My standard chickens have just turned 5 and 6 weeks old. I am ready to kick them out into their coop! But I live in southeast Alaska and I'm not sure it's warm enough yet. It is 40s during the day and I've been bringing them out in their run during the daytime, they seem to enjoy that. But at night it gets into the lower 30s and I'm just not sure if they are ready. Would a heat lamp be enough for them in 30 degree temps? Currently at night they've been in our garage which stays between 55-60 degrees.
Any advice welcome!

 

[DanEP]

At that age they will be fine with a heat lamp at night. I have 3 week olds out in the brooder with a lamp and we are about 40 at night and there fine.

 

[jessicaroo]

Thanks for replying!

 

[Feathers n Fur]

Glad I saw this thread. I was worried about putting 4-6 wk olds in the coop because our night time temps are in the 30's but maybe a heat lamp or two will do the trick. I love them but a month in the house is enough for stinky peepers

I plan to secure a section of the coop to separate the big girls from the newbies, attach a heat lamp or two then into the coop they'll go.

 

[jessicaroo]

Yes, they get big and stinky quick, which is why they are getting the boot here

 

[CrazyChickens09]

I am glad I looked here. I have 13 5-6 week old chicks that I am thinking of putting them out in the coop. Our temperatures are currently fluctuating between 60's and 70's and Monday and Tuesday its going to be in the 40's and 50's with lows of 28-50's. With a heat lamp they should be ok right? I have 12 hens that are about fully feathered and two roosters who are mostly feather but their head will they be ok? Thank you

 

[DanEP]

Yep they"ll be fine just start acclimating them to the outside temps and they will be fine. I'm starting to loose the heat on the 3 week olds right now for a while every day. I just watch them and when they start to huddle up in a corner I turn the heat back on. In another 5-6 weeks it will be warmer and they wont need any heat.

 

[coolmind1999]

I've kept chicks that's were 3 weeks old out side till the temp goes down to 20 degree centigrade and they survived but that is not the case with all chicks
Different breeds adjust differently
A normal chick that u get for a buck and is basic can survive even may be till ten without a lamp
But on the other hand a very house hold bird like silkies can even catch a cold at 30 with a lamp
It like cats u can leave a stray cat on a road it will survive but a Persian will have a very hard time cuz she is a house cat
So it depends on ur chickens breed
Hope I didn't bore u and talk junk and helped u some how

 

[jessicaroo]

No, you didn't bore me lol, I have 2 silkies and 14 standard chicks. They have been outside for 3 nights and are doing great! They are now 6 & 7 weeks old - the silkies are 7 weeks. Their coop is so big compared to the brooder they left, so I don't think they are sure what to do with all the extra space just yet. And the bigger roosting bars are intimidating to them so they just pile up on the floor haha! It's cute.