Winter chicks advice needed

[karagenknight]

So i'm a new chick mommy and i have 6 chicks that hatched 10/14. Man they grow fast and they are eating machines. Anyways i live in Ohio and i bought from a breeder only an our drive away in the hopes of having birds that are better adapted to Ohio weather and i chose breeds that are all very winter hardy(egg layers, 2 golden sex links, 1 bared rock, 1 buff brahma, and 2 mystery chicks). When should i start exposing them to the weather/dropping their brood temps. There seems to be so much differing opinions and i want to get them the best start on life with out keeping them in my house over winter. Currently they are in the house in a spare room in a aquarium but i think in another week they are going to be too big for the tank. I was thinking of building a bigger brooder in the garage but it is unheated and the temps would fluctuate a bit every time i enter because i would have to open the garage door to check on them. Temperatures are currently averaging in the 50's to high 60's


love these crazy little fuzz butts. love watching them grow. they are just starting to get tail feathers!
Thank you for any help and advice you guys can give me.

 

[nayeli]

I would get in touch with the breeder you bought them from if possible. They will know best having the same breed of birds and living in the same climate.

 

[karagenknight]

Well i got them from a fair sized hatchery so should i still ask them?

 

[nayeli]

Nope... Sorry. Honestly you can just pay attention to the chickens then. They will let you know if they are hot or cold. Are they fully feathered? How many are there? The more there are the sooner they can go out due to body heat, then they NEED to be fully feathered before they go out.

Your coop will keep them dry and shield them from the wind and snow so if they are fully feathered I'd start slowly adjusting the heat down where they are kept.

At 2 weeks they are much to young to go outside though. Mine are also 2 weeks and still using a heat lamp.

 

[karagenknight]

Little confusing I'm not planning to put them out at 2 weeks there coop isnt even ready but i am wondering when to start exposing them to the weather. Short jants in the grass very supervised and such. Also wondering if temperature fluctuations would be an issue if i moved them and their heat lamp to my unheated garage