will my chicks survive the night?

[funnyfoshay]

It is going to be 61 tonight, their first night outside.
9 chicks; 2 of them are 7 weeks old, 1 is 6 weeks old, 4 are 5 weeks old and 2 are 4 weeks old.

They have never slept outside but I think temps inside have been that cold but they had a hover heater- looked like they had not been using it in days.

in bed...worrying!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

The first night is always the hardest. You decided it was best for a reason. They will be okay. They will sleep in a puppy pile and keep each other warm.

 

[funnyfoshay]

The first night is always the hardest. You decided it was best for a reason. They will be okay. They will sleep in a puppy pile and keep each other warm.

I just ran outside 3 more times. brought out an extension cord with the hover heater and stuffed the babies under it....it took some moving and threading the cord through the chicken door then barricading the chicken door just in case etc

ahhhh!!! no one said it would be like having a brand new baby for the first night!
I feel like they are safe now. if they don't survive now we have some REALLY STRONG determined predators and/or some chicks that do not want to be warm.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I totally understand.

 

[chickens really]

They will do fine out in the Coop without heat..It's harder on you than them..

 

[hennypenny18]

So how did they do??

 

[funnyfoshay]

They are all alive in there and today it is 82 degrees...New England weather. So now I worry about heat and hydration!

Next I have to reinforce our pen- we got a prebuilt coop and pen- it came covered in chicken wire and no buried chicken wire. So I have a lot of work to do before they can spend the days in the run.

 

[chickens really]

You have to let them outside or they will cook in a hot Coop..

 

[Unexpected chicken lover]

You have to let them outside or they will cook in a hot Coop..

Heat is something to worry about...did u have a playpen for them for outdoir adventures?
My cook is VERY large and ut gets sweltering in there...they have their own small ac and fans barricaded in chicken wire to protect them from injury while protecting them from heat!!! Yes its like having babies

 

[funnyfoshay]

I got new england hardy (heat and cold) tolerant chicks. They are not going to cook - they needed 95 degrees a few weeks ago!! They have open windows, plenty of space, dirt to bathe in and tons of water. I am not going to "climate control" the coop with an a/c or heat and ligt- that is not appropriate if i want normal "naturally healthy animals- it is not even appropriate for humans if you honestly need to survive in real world...but if you work in an office and have to be productive and "clean" whatever-humans invented the need for climate control...but that is a much bigger conversation!

Anyway the chicks are thriving outdoors in their coop- going outside for outings when we can monitor. But the weather here for little ones will drive a person nuts.