Winter chicks

[Juanita37]

Anybody do this? My hatchery had a random hatch of golden sexlinks, which I love, and I'm tempted to get some but I'm not excited about keeping them warm this winter. They'll stay in the garage or mud room for quite some time but I can't keep them there all winter. Can they still go out when they've feathered if it's winter?

 

[Celeste Cannon]

Golden sexlinks are supposed to be cold hardy birds, how long would you wait before keeping them outside? Also where do you live? Does it snow there? When they are in your garage make sure they have 1-2 heat lamps to stay warm, or a heating pad if thats what you use.

 

[Juanita37]

Idaho. So yes, cold and snowy. I'll definitely have a heat lamp, I usually put them out in the barn (Which is full of straw and hay right now) when they can't stay in a box easily anymore. And that should be sometime in December and we should have snow then.

Snow and cold don't seem to bother my other chickens a bit but by the time it's cold, they're usually 6+ months old.

 

[Skipper81]

I was in Montana last winter and got a bunch of different breeds in September when the cold hit they were still to small they stayed in garage all winter
If you get them not they probably won’t be big enough to go out in those temps until March but that’s Missoula mt
I’m just assuming Idaho temps and winds are similar

 

[chickengeorgeto]

As important as a heat lamp is it is also important that your chicks have a place where they can avoid the heat lamp or its heat. Leave it up to those baby chicks, they know what is better for themselves than you or I do.

 

[oldhen2345]

I am thinking of ordering baby chicks this month- delivery of day olds approx. Nov 26. I can keep them quite well in the house for about 8-10 weeks or so, but that puts it squarely in the middle of the coldest weather in February. I have a shed- no garage available, but it doesn't have electricity. I have my " baby barn" enclosure- just hardwire with an altered dog house in it for them to roost in when they get too old for the brooder and too young for the coop. It has a roost and I put pine shavings in it. I am not sure they will be ok in it though during the winter. The winters in East Texas are not as cold as up north, but still pretty chilly. It can get down to 5-10 degrees in February. Doesn't last long, but it does get cold. Usually hovers around 20's.
I have always gotten my chicks in the spring. I thought I would try something different this year, so I didn't have to wait til fall to get eggs. The only logistic problem I have is keeping them warm enough without electricity- and not keeping pullets in the house. I could string an outdoor electric cord across the yard (about 150 ft) for a reptile heater, but that doesn't seem safe.
What is the answer? Anyone?