What is too cold for 6 week chicks?

FarmerGayle

Hatching
Mar 29, 2020
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1
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My chicks will be 6 weeks old come Tuesday. I have healthy-sized girls, with one little runt. Even so, they all seem to be fully feathered at this point.

I have 12 all together. Right now they're in a 12sqft brooder. There is one heat lamp only in one corner, keeping the brooder about 70-73 degrees and the room itself is usually 62-68 degrees depending on the weather outside. I plan on removing the lamo when they're officially 6 weeks.

We had a warmer weekend just now but this upcoming week is going to be 45-50 degrees during the day (I live at a higher elevation) and cooler at night... Should I wait to put the girls outside? I read they can stay in their 12sqft brooder for up to 8 weeks if necessary.

Is it too cold?

I have an 8x8ft coop ready and waiting.
 
You should've already removed the heat source, they don't need it.

They absolutely can handle cooler temps at this point but as you haven't weaned them off heat yet, you should do that first before moving them out. So expect to spend the next several days letting them get accustomed to no heat indoors, then move them out on (hopefully) a nicer day in the forecast.

Brooder is too tight at this point. They should have 18 sq ft or more by now, so they really do need to get moved to the coop soon.
 

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