Two old ladies and winter

[Mouseblues1]

I have read and seen posts about people having to bring in chicken's in winter but none about our unique situation so I'm here to ask questions and see what others do. I have one Amber Link 4 year old chicken, one Isa Brown 4 year chicken. I live in Michigan and we have been in single digits for over a week. I went out a little over a week ago to find my Isa was holding her foot up and shaking, both were hiding in coop all day and not very active. To me that was a sign of being to cold. So I brought them in and a little over a week they have been in 57-58 degree temps. Outside today and next few are 30 dayside 29 nightside. Then the next couple days is mid thirties dayside and mid thirties at night. I wanted to move them out today in 30 day, 29 night. In two days might hit 40 degrees day. I do not have a whole flock only the two they have a fully enclosed area out of the wind and weather and at night I was shutting the coop. Before single digits came they were out and about in the 30 degree weather and at night the usual was 11- 20 varying. They both were active then. So when would you put two older chicken's out in the cold where they normally live instead of the dog crate in the basement at 57-58 degrees?

 

[Debbie292d]

I have read and seen posts about people having to bring in chicken's in winter but none about our unique situation so I'm here to ask questions and see what others do. I have one Amber Link 4 year old chicken, one Isa Brown 4 year chicken. I live in Michigan and we have been in single digits for over a week. I went out a little over a week ago to find my Isa was holding her foot up and shaking, both were hiding in coop all day and not very active. To me that was a sign of being to cold. So I brought them in and a little over a week they have been in 57-58 degree temps. Outside today and next few are 30 dayside 29 nightside. Then the next couple days is mid thirties dayside and mid thirties at night. I wanted to move them out today in 30 day, 29 night. In two days might hit 40 degrees day. I do not have a whole flock only the two they have a fully enclosed area out of the wind and weather and at night I was shutting the coop. Before single digits came they were out and about in the 30 degree weather and at night the usual was 11- 20 varying. They both were active then. So when would you put two older chicken's out in the cold where they normally live instead of the dog crate in the basement at 57-58 degrees?

Welcome to BYC!!

I would have put them back out today. I did mine. (Wisconsin).

I brought our 3 three-month-olds in last week and today when it hit 33F, out they went again. They have a cozy coop radiant heater in a hutch as they're in a temp coop/pen right now. You might consider sometime watching for one of those on sale at Home Depot, TSC, or other hardware-type stores as you could sit that in the coop where your two can lean up against it if they get chilled.

 

[Mouseblues1]

Welcome to BYC!!

I would have put them back out today. I did mine. (Wisconsin).

I brought our 3 three-month-olds in last week and today when it hit 33F, out they went again. They have a cozy coop radiant heater in a hutch as they're in a temp coop/pen right now. You might consider sometime watching for one of those on sale at Home Depot, TSC, or other hardware-type stores as you could sit that in the coop where your two can lean up against it if they get chilled.

Thank you for responding I was afraid no one would. We are today mid thirties and closer to the 58 they are living in but my girls are pets and so spoiled they were whining to go out or have a perch. I am happy to set them out and reclaim my laundry room and sanitize it. Would you do cold turkey and set them out and check on them but let them stay. We are always second guessing our thoughts.

 

[wrathsfarm]

Thank you for responding I was afraid no one would. We are today mid thirties and closer to the 58 they are living in but my girls are pets and so spoiled they were whining to go out or have a perch. I am happy to set them out and reclaim my laundry room and sanitize it. Would you do cold turkey and set them out and check on them but let them stay. We are always second guessing our thoughts.

They should be fine to go out today. That's a fairly small temp swing and they will acclimate much better.
How big is your coop? As @Debbie292d stated a flat panel brooder/coop heater is a good investment not only for hatching chicks but also a safe heat source when we get them drastic temp swings well below zero our birds are not accustomed to.

Btw... Welcome to BYC. I'm in Michigan also and this cold snap has been brutal. I've had my flocks on lockdown for a few days off and on only letting them out when the wind isn't cutting thru them, dropping their body temp. The Michigan thread is here if you want to join in on the locals chit chat..... https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...ll-are-welcome.697050/page-5682#post-27441698

Good luck with your 2 hens.

 

[Debbie292d]

Would you do cold turkey and set them out and check on them but let them stay.

Their acclimation was about 2 minutes while I stood holding all three in my arms on the deck before walking them over to their home. All that you may have read about people who heat their coops and that if the power goes out, the temperature change would kill them, that's only if you're on Facebook that happens. IRL, they're fine.

Yes, they stayed out there, with their cozy coop heater. They came out this morning into the pen and it's 27F so they didn't stay long and went back in their hutch where it's warm.