What temperature is too cold for 6 week old chicks?

[Brummie Pekin]

Ive had my game chicks seprated in single 5x3 pens since 6weeks of age and weve got down to 36 at night and a high of 45 and they have done just fine since then by themselves. It was a warm day today and 49 as of now.

Once feathered if left outside to adjust they do just fine.

I guess I seem to worry too much. Sounds like they are ok in cold temperatures.

 

[centrarchid]

When my juveniles (> 5 weeks = juvenile) are exposed to elements as in roosting under stars, the temperatures below 50 F are start of where I can see birds having to compensate by eating more. As temperatures drop, feed consumption increases but cannot quite double. The will also start to fluff up more and during day seek out sun-warmed locations if they can find them. Once we get into the 20's F their growth may be impacted. I have had them so kept when temperatures approach 0 F and they still survive although they may shift to roosting in more protected cavities or in weeds on the ground. Juveniiles at 12 weeks have troubles in form of frost bite when temperatures pushing -10 F but no mortalities.

My chickens are American Dominique and American Games so fairly cold tolerant.

I do not think UK conditions will challenge your birds if they are in good feather. Mine handle it fully exposed to all sorts of precipitation although we do not have the heavy rain events when temperature approach freezing that can soak feathers like with summer down pours.

 

[Brummie Pekin]

We will be upgrading to a much bigger Run in a couple of days (Whilst taking the pictures we had a rare sunny day)

 

[Brummie Pekin]

When my juveniles (> 5 weeks = juvenile) are exposed to elements as in roosting under stars, the temperatures below 50 F are start of where I can see birds having to compensate by eating more. As temperatures drop, feed consumption increases but cannot quite double. The will also start to fluff up more and during day seek out sun-warmed locations if they can find them. Once we get into the 20's F their growth may be impacted. I have had them so kept when temperatures approach 0 F and they still survive although they may shift to roosting in more protected cavities or in weeds on the ground. Juveniiles at 12 weeks have troubles in form of frost bite when temperatures pushing -10 F but no mortalities.

My chickens are American Dominique and American Games so fairly cold tolerant.

I do not think UK conditions will challenge your birds if they are in good feather. Mine handle it fully exposed to all sorts of precipitation although we do not have the heavy rain events when temperature approach freezing that can soak feathers like with summer down pours.

The rain should not be a problem because they have a fairly large area where they can shelter.

 

[centrarchid]

Your concern may be health effects stemming from high humidity imposed by your efforts to keep birds warm. Ventilate.

 

[song of joy]

The wood box/coop definitely needs ventilation to avoid moisture build-up inside.

 

[Brummie Pekin]

The wood box/coop definitely needs ventilation to avoid moisture build-up inside.

We leave the wooden box's door open so that should be enough ventilation.

 

[lazy gardener]

Good ventilation requires 2 openings so air can move.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

I'm not sure I'm understanding your plans completely.

What I see with the box is basically a nesting box. To be a sheltering coop you would need a roost bar that is not over your nesting area (as you don't want poop on the eggs).

Propping up the lid will ventilate only at the top. Moisture will trap at the bottom. I agree with @lazy gardener that a good coop area needs bi-directional flow. I'm not sure you'll achieve that with a propped lid.

A good coop design will be:
1. Easy to clean
2. well ventilated for cross flow above the chicken's heads, no direct drafts.
3. area for nesting away from roosting
4. sufficient room at roost to comfortably house birds with wing room...how much can vary, but generally they recommend 2 square feet per bird (if bantam) if they just roost for the night, otherwise you need 4 square feet if they are ever locked in the coop (which from your design they won't be).

I would recommend creating another little box attached to the side for the nest. You would do a cut through from the bigger box for coop to nest access. The little nesting box should be at minimum 12 inches by 12 inches by 12 inches (sorry I can't convert that quickly to metrics...silly American).

I would then put a roosting bar across the bigger box about midway.

I would then "lift" the lid by putting some sort of bracing so that you essentially make a cake tier top with the lid (think pedestal cake, like a wedding cake). I would then fill in the space with hardware cloth or chicken wire.

That will give you a lid that is flat to protect from rain, held up maybe 6 inches all the way around, then wire all around the empty space for air flow above their heads, then a main area below with roosting bar, straw on floor for clean out (you may want to create a drag out access hatch with a cut out that hinges). Then an attached nesting box that the birds can access from the coop.

That should be sufficient for 4 Pekins, if that is what I am correctly assuming by your name....could be for 4 large fowl birds if the box is of sufficient size (I can't tell actual dimensions from photos...it looks a bit smallish).

If you do have the bantam Cochins (Pekins), with their heavy foot feathering, you may want to consider putting bark dust/wood chips on their run area, at least partially, to prevent the inevitable mud they will create. Heavily feathered feet are a magnet for bumble foot if they remain muddy all day long.

My thoughts.

Lovely yard for your birds, btw.

LofMc

 

[Brummie Pekin]

I'm not sure I'm understanding your plans completely.

What I see with the box is basically a nesting box. To be a sheltering coop you would need a roost bar that is not over your nesting area (as you don't want poop on the eggs).

Propping up the lid will ventilate only at the top. Moisture will trap at the bottom. I agree with @lazy gardener that a good coop area needs bi-directional flow. I'm not sure you'll achieve that with a propped lid.

A good coop design will be:
1. Easy to clean
2. well ventilated for cross flow above the chicken's heads, no direct drafts.
3. area for nesting away from roosting
4. sufficient room at roost to comfortably house birds with wing room...how much can vary, but generally they recommend 2 square feet per bird (if bantam) if they just roost for the night, otherwise you need 4 square feet if they are ever locked in the coop (which from your design they won't be).

I would recommend creating another little box attached to the side for the nest. You would do a cut through from the bigger box for coop to nest access. The little nesting box should be at minimum 12 inches by 12 inches by 12 inches (sorry I can't convert that quickly to metrics...silly American).

I would then put a roosting bar across the bigger box about midway.

I would then "lift" the lid by putting some sort of bracing so that you essentially make a cake tier top with the lid (think pedestal cake, like a wedding cake). I would then fill in the space with hardware cloth or chicken wire.

That will give you a lid that is flat to protect from rain, held up maybe 6 inches all the way around, then wire all around the empty space for air flow above their heads, then a main area below with roosting bar, straw on floor for clean out (you may want to create a drag out access hatch with a cut out that hinges). Then an attached nesting box that the birds can access from the coop.

That should be sufficient for 4 Pekins, if that is what I am correctly assuming by your name....could be for 4 large fowl birds if the box is of sufficient size (I can't tell actual dimensions from photos...it looks a bit smallish).

If you do have the bantam Cochins (Pekins), with their heavy foot feathering, you may want to consider putting bark dust/wood chips on their run area, at least partially, to prevent the inevitable mud they will create. Heavily feathered feet are a magnet for bumble foot if they remain muddy all day long.

My thoughts.

Lovely yard for your birds, btw.

LofMc

Thanks for all the feedback! It is quite a lot to take in and it will definitely be used in the plan for a bigger run that I have in mind for my chicks.