When is it safe to leave them out all night

[calalaska]

My babes are featherig out real well, but because I live in Alaska and nights still go down to the 30s, what is a good temp to start overnighting them out side. I don't want to do it to soon and make them sick.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Feathered out? Six weeks old?

Generally, if the bird is feathered out well at 6 weeks, I transition them. I take away their high output lamp and wean them off to a lower wattage bulb, say from 250 down to 125. After a few days, I raise that bulb up a foot. So, at this point, they are getting very little supplemental help. By this time, they are feathered out heavier and are 7 weeks old.

I've brooded chicks in late fall and taken them right through winter with no issues. I don't heat our barn, and our winter temps are brutal, often dipping to -20 or -25. They are just fine. The trick for your chicks is simply a week of transitioning. Raise the light, lower the wattage, get them adjusted so there's no drastic going from 70 to cold nights of 30. They'll adjust just fine.

 

[calalaska]

Thanks, that helps alot.... I am still overnighting them in my shop and the temp there is usually in the 60s at night... but I usually start a fire around 7 or 8 o'clock at night to warm it up for the evening. Maybe I'll for go the fire and let it cool off a bit more in there... I do put them out during the day and our temps are ranging from 50 to 70 degrees and they seem to be doing well, no one looking or acting out of character.