Too cold?

[thewisteron]

I live in Utah. I will be putting the finishing touches on my new coop tomorrow and I'd like to move my chicks out there. They are 5 1/2 weeks old and it looks like they have all of their feathers. Nights right now are still down in the low 40s (although Sunday is supposed to get back down to mid-30's, but then back up to 40s after that). Too cold for them? I have a heat lamp I suppose I could move out with them.

Any advice is appreciated.

 

[Yay Chicks!]

When I first moved mine outside, I think it was in the lower 40s. I didn't put their heat lamp out with them, but I did put just a 60 watt red bulb out there for a little while. (It's a small coop). I don't know if it did any good.
How long have they been without the heat lamp now? I guess I would be more concerned about a sudden drop in temperature.
Perhaps someone else has something more definitive to add.

 

[MissTurkey4]

I would keep them inside longer. I put some outside that where 7 weeks old and lost many of them even with a nice warm barn. Sometimes it depends on the breed and there immune system. common breed like leghorns mature faster. I have found a few breeds that need a full 20 weeks. I know that sounds crasy but it is the only way they will live.

 

[thewisteron]

Miss Turkey - sorry to hear you lost so many. How cold was it outside?

There is no way I can keep them inside 20 weeks, so maybe I'll put my heat lamp out there with them.

Just this last week I took the heat lamp away and they are in my basement where it is probably 60 degrees.

 

[7L Farm]

My 30 chicks have been in their coop since a week old. For the first 3 weeks they were provided with a cage that was covered with a blanket & heat lamp.They would ball up to sleep at night. During the day they would run around . I removed the cage & heat lamp around 4 weeks old. they are now 6 weeks

old.

 

[kstaven]

If the coop is dry and you have lots of bedding for them to get into the risk is pretty low in my opinion.

 

[Fred's Hens]

If you are concerned, you can string a small heat light, via an extension cord for them. After a week, you'll find they aren't sleeping under it anymore, anyhow. They'll be just fine. Acclimate them now. If they are indoors, no heat now. It's likely 70 inside? Helps ween them off any dependency. I have always move the chicks to their grow out pen at that age. Never, ever lost any.

 

[Frizzy Chicks]

Whew, glad to hear that, I got a little scared after reading the 20 weeks part.

 

[WVchickens]

Here was my solution for cold weather heat lamp control. I use a 250w red lamp and picked up a commercial engine block heater controller. It works like a extension cord and it’s in a water proof small box. Works great. When it’s cold the lamp comes on.

 

[Frizzy Chicks]

Where do you buy a commercial engine block heater? How much would something like that cost?