Was it too cold???

[Chick CJ]

Okay, I moved my 7 and 8 week old chicks to the shed last night. I have had them in the house without a heat lamp and was bringing them outside during the day to acclimate them to colder weather. It got down to 40 degrees in the shed last night. Was that too cold for them?? I couldn't really tell when I went out this morning if they were cold or just upset with the whole plan of moving them out there! They were all standing together in one corner, although not completely bunched up like they were trying to get warmth from each other. Is 40 too cold for chicks this age? They are lavender orps and BCM's.
Cathryn

 

[Olive Hill]

If they're not piling and they're eating and drinking normally they're fine. Even adult chickens will stick in groups during cold weather.

I moved 6 weekers out of the brooder today to an unheated shed and 40 is about 15 degrees warmer than our high for the day.

 

[teach1rusl]

Your house w/no heatlamp - to staying outside during the daytime - to spending the night in the shed w/temps around 40...sounds like a good, gradual transition to me, especially based on how you found them this morning...

 

[Chick CJ]

Awesome, thank you both so much!! I feel relieved!
Now I have been reading up on when/how to introduce them to my existing flock.
Sounds like I have my work "cut out for me" as the saying goes! It will be awhile still because I can't figure out how not to let the younger ones eat the layer feed. Any idea on what age is okay for that? They are on grower now but I know the calcium is too high for them to eat layer.
Cathryn

 

[briteday]

For the feed issue you could just buy Flockraiser or some other general poultry feed, and leave out a bowl of oyster shell for your laying hens.

 

[teach1rusl]

Once they're intermingling, it's next to impossible to keep the "kids" out of the big girl feed. One option you have is to just put out Flock Raiser for a few weeks, but to be sure that oyster shell is always available for the hens. Many say not to feed layer feed until after the pullets have begun laying, but I began feeding it around 17 or 18 weeks and saw absolutely no difference in my girls, and they all were fairly early layers...from 19-21 weeks.

ETA: Oops...didn't see briteday's response, but obviously totally agree

 

[Chick CJ]

Well, then we are on the right track. My husband and I were just saying that maybe we could feed the whole flock the flock raiser and be sure to keep the oyster shell always full. (which I already do anyway) I am currently using Nutrena, Naturewise, Grower/Finisher. Is this feed proper?
Cathryn

 

[Chick CJ]

Funny, but when I went on the Nutrena web site they only list something called "Chick Starter/Grower" but my bag definitely says "Grower/Finisher" ??
Cathryn