What is too cold for one pullet?

[MixedFlock23]

I bought three chickens last week. They were all from the same breeder, but not in the same flock. They are housed separately in quarantine now.

Question: how cold is too cold for a lone bird?

The 19oz ten month old d’uccle pullet and the 8 week old Ameraucana chick are in the shed (kept about 50°), but the 10 month old Ameraucana pullet is outside in the chicken tractor alone. (More space for her.) The tractor has an attached coop with plywood on all six sides and a pop door that I lock at night. It has no drafts in the lower half, but does have ventilation near the top. It’s 2’ tall, 2.5’ wide, and 4’ long, if that matters. Temps will be below 0°F this weekend. Should I bring her into the shed also? I don’t want her to get too cold with nobody to cuddle with, but I don’t want to coop her up in a cage if there’s no reason to. It’ll be around zero or colder for four days then back into the 20s.
(The shed isn’t for animals, so they have to stay in cages in there—no pooping on the deep freeze or my mower or tools, etc.)
Thanks!

 

[Brown Chick]

I am worried about my new pullets as well. I am putting them in the outdoor shed with a heater. They are 7 weeks. But I am no expert on those kind of temps. Here we were in the 70’s yesterday with an expected cold of 20 deg on Monday.

 

[MixedFlock23]

I am worried about my new pullets as well. I am putting them in the outdoor shed with a heater. They are 7 weeks. But I am no expert on those kind of temps. Here we were in the 70’s yesterday with an expected cold of 20 deg on Monday.

I miss the 70s!! Summer days are often 90°+. Summer is my favorite. I’m cold just thinking about sleeping outside in a coop. Ha ha.

I put the heater on for the two littlest new birds in the shed. They probably don’t need it. The shed doesn’t drop below freezing anyway.

I’m fine with the pullets & hens & cockerels being outside when they have each other (& access to walk right back inside the coop), but I just don’t know about one 4.5lb pullet sleeping alone in a plywood coop with some pine shavings. Brrr! The tractor obviously isn’t elevated off the ground like the other coops. It’s sitting in the snow.

Your pullets would likely be fine together, but you might as well keep them comfortable & at the temp they are used to until the cold snap is gone.

 

[Oncoming Storm]

The Rule of thumb is that if they have all their adult feathers, they can insulate themselves. I have a bantam polish that roosts separately and she has no issues.

 

[MixedFlock23]

The Rule of thumb is that if they have all their adult feathers, they can insulate themselves. I have a bantam polish that roosts separately and she has no issues.

Thank you!

 

[ChicNmom]

I would be concerned about that much of a temp drop. They are not acclimated to it. I'd put them all in the shed until the temps normalize.

 

[MixedFlock23]

I would be concerned about that much of a temp drop. They are not acclimated to it. I'd put them all in the shed until the temps normalize.

I put her in the shed with the 2 other new birds (separate crates). She may not like going from her 48 sq ft area to a crate, but it’s only for a week (nights only). The lowest temp forecasted is 5° (-7° with wind chill, but I guess that doesn’t count in a coop?). Normal temps (including this week and in another week after this cold snap) are 40°+ by day and 25ish at night for February. So a week sleeping in the shed it is. I’d feel awful if she got frostbite or worse outside alone.

 

[aart]

(-7° with wind chill, but I guess that doesn’t count in a coop?)

No.
Only counts if bare skin is exposed to that wind.

 

[MixedFlock23]

No.
Only counts if bare skin is exposed to that wind.

I’m so undecided! I think I’ll just keep her in the chicken tractor (run & mini coop). She seemed crowded in a crate. And she’s got a pea comb, so I don’t think she’s going to get frostbite. She was nice and warm when I reached it last night and got her sleeping self out to worm her and move her to the shed.
I turned off the heat in the shed where the d’uccle & 8 week old Ameraucana chick are as well.
Thank you!

 

[MixedFlock23]

So far, so good! This morning is the coldest my chickens have ever felt. Temp is 2°F (wind chill -3°). I took the freeze sensors out of our freezers and put them in the coops, so I can easily monitor temps. My main coop (16 birds) is a only 2° warmer than outside, and the chicken tractor coop (only the new 10 month old pullet) is 1° warmer. But no drafts in the coops and all the birds are doing fine. My Silkies haven’t left the coop at all. A few pullets have ran outside in the snow briefly and then back inside the coop. I have heated waters for all my animals just outside their coops, but since so many of them won’t go outside, I’ve been carrying water to them inside the coop multiple times a day. Brrr! I also rub combs down with Vaseline at night when they go to roost. It seems to last, but I reapply nightly, just in case.
I did turn off the heat lamp on the chick in the shed several days ago and this morning was the first time water froze in the shed. Temp inside shed is 28°. The 8 week old chick is doing great in there.
One week of this crazy cold snap and then my chickens will be sunbathing in the 40° temps!