Too young or too cold????

[jasonbennett1]

I have 12 chickens total: 6 bantams (7 weeks old), 4 EE (5 weeks old), 2 barred rocks (4 weeks old). They have out grown their brooder and I moved them outside into the coop this morning. We live in North central Florida and our nights are in the 50's right now. Is that too cold for chickens this young?

 

[Karlachix]

Are they feathered out yet? If so and there is no draft, then they should be okay.

If they haven't feathered out then I would be concerned.

 

[selinagil]

Where in North Central Florida are you? I live near Marianna!!

 

[jasonbennett1]

They are feathered out, but the floor of the coop is hardware cloth and 3ft off the ground, so it might be a bit drafty. It was planned with our hot spring/summer/fall seasons in mind, not winter.
I'd put a heat lamp in, but I made the shut so tight that I would have to leave it partially open to run a power cord through it.

 

[jasonbennett1]

Quote:
Fort white; 30 miles NW of gainesville

 

[selinagil]

Well not too far, couple hours--almost all the BYC'ers from Florida are downstate. I think your chicks will be ok outside--I would just hang a brooder light in the ceiling--that's what I did last year with mine. I just used a regular bulb too not a heat lamp bulb. Good Luck!

 

[hillerfamily]

We have the same problem. I just went and bought a bale of hay and covered the floor with it, and they nestle down in that...Mine seem happy, thought they puff all their feathers out till about 9 am....

 

[JenMT]

When a chick puffs all her feathers out (as posted above) does that mean that she is cold?