When can "new chicks" go outside for good in winter?

[dalcombright]

-22F

You have hit -22 already? ewwwe hahah.

 

[FortCluck]

No heat in your coop? I wont have any in mine.

Nope the only heat in the coop comes from the chickens and ducks. I never use a heat source in coops. The brahma mixes went from inside temp to outside temp of 55 yesterday then last night it was 19 degrees. I put them in the coop so they can get used to the coop first and they haven't ventured outside yet.

I've done all my chicks that I have in the winter this way and I've never lost one. If they're fully feathered it insulates them. They don't feel cold like humans do... We don't have feathers like they do.

 

[Henry&Friends]

Is heat needed though? If it is I will probably just endure them indoors because running 300' of extension cords for heat will be a pain in the butt haha. Also. the 12 out their now dont have heat. Again, fully enclosed coop and a 12x16 run that is covered. I also let them free range when I'm home and its not snowy.

heat is not a requirement, I wouldn’t have any heat in my coop if I hadn’t gotten chicks from my landlord. I would probably be taking the lamp out by next week, but now I have a hen who was attacked by a dog with huge bald spots in my basement, getting moved back out this weekend. It’s really up to you to gauge whether it’s too cold in the coop or not

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I've raised Brahmas and Polish in your climate. Your birds have been ready to go out for a long time.

 

[NatJ]

You could put them in the coop by day, but the garage by night for a week or two (if you're willing to carry chickens back and forth twice a day.) That would give them some experience with the coop and colder temperatures, but be a little more gradual than just putting them out all day and night (since the nights are usually colder than the days.)

 

[Anime2lover]

As soon as they are fully feathered they are ready to go out. If you can section off a part of the coop and run for them, they can live in there within view of the others but not be touched. Then they can just live out there. You’ll want to chase them into the coop once it starts getting dark, they get the hang of that after a week or two. I put a heat lamp (extra secured) in my coop this winter because my moms boss gave us chicks out of the blue. Winter isn’t a good time for getting chicks, so I try to keep a heat source for them when they’re let outside. The transition period might be helpful, although not necessary. I have one hen in my basement (chicken ER) and yesterday I cleaned up 6 days worth of her poop. It was terrible, so I don’t think you’ll want 6 pullets down there all winter to clean up after.

I second this one.

 

[gtaus]

You have hit -22 already? ewwwe hahah.

Yes, twice in the last two weeks we hit -22F at night. And that's actual temp, not wind chill.

 

[dalcombright]

thanks everyone!

 

[Blue gem]

Is heat needed though? If it is I will probably just endure them indoors because running 300' of extension cords for heat will be a pain in the butt haha. Also. the 12 out their now dont have heat. Again, fully enclosed coop and a 12x16 run that is covered. I also let them free range when I'm home and its not snowy.

I have no heat in my coop and the older babies from this year are fine. My older chickens go out in the snow and hang out in the driveway by their rabbit friends same as the rest of the year. They don't seem to mind it, and I leave the garage door cracked enough they can get in if needed.

 

[ToniC]

how much area do I need to let my chicks move around out side the coop? I have 6 chicks and they are two to three weeks from fully feathered.