Putting baby chicks outside in winter?

[glloyd203]

I'm sorry I know there are threads about this already, but my situation is slightly unique. My chickens have always preferred to sleep open air, never actually wanting to sleep in the nice coops I have made/bought for them (eye roll) and I just built them a new run which is fully predator-proofed (fingers crossed, knock on wood, etc) that doesn't really have a traditional coop inside of it. It is an a-frame structure where the back portion is enclosed on three sides to protect from rain, but because of that it is not quite as warm as a true coop would be. I have had this set up before since it was what they preferred, and then tried a real coop again for a while when we moved, but they would always sleep outside of it on top of the nest boxes, lol! We live in Georgia where it sometimes gets into the teens at night but rarely, though this winter has been quite cold. ANYWAY, I have some baby chicks inside in a brooder and wondering when I should move them out, considering that their living situation won't be a fully enclosed coop. What should the nighttime temps be in order for it to be safe for them out there? They are silkies btw. Thanks!

 

[nuthatched]

How old are they?

 

[glloyd203]

How old are they?

They are about 5-6 weeks old now. But our nighttime temps are still getting below freezing some nights We've had huge swings in weather lately here...

 

[Debbie292d]

I'm sorry I know there are threads about this already, but my situation is slightly unique. My chickens have always preferred to sleep open air, never actually wanting to sleep in the nice coops I have made/bought for them (eye roll) and I just built them a new run which is fully predator-proofed (fingers crossed, knock on wood, etc) that doesn't really have a traditional coop inside of it. It is an a-frame structure where the back portion is enclosed on three sides to protect from rain, but because of that it is not quite as warm as a true coop would be. I have had this set up before since it was what they preferred, and then tried a real coop again for a while when we moved, but they would always sleep outside of it on top of the nest boxes, lol! We live in Georgia where it sometimes gets into the teens at night but rarely, though this winter has been quite cold. ANYWAY, I have some baby chicks inside in a brooder and wondering when I should move them out, considering that their living situation won't be a fully enclosed coop. What should the nighttime temps be in order for it to be safe for them out there? They are silkies btw. Thanks!

Silkies don't "feather out" until at least six weeks. I do not go by this chart that is merely a guide and not in stone, but gives you an idea.


The other thing, if you have other chickens, they'll probably kill them at that age.

We put ours out in 0F temps at around 2 months old, but they have a flat panel heater (Cozy Coop) which they cuddle up to.

 

[glloyd203]

Silkies don't "feather out" until at least six weeks. I do not go by this chart that is merely a guide and not in stone, but gives you an idea.

View attachment 4051135
The other thing, if you have other chickens, they'll probably kill them at that age.

We put ours out in 0F temps at around 2 months old, but they have a flat panel heater (Cozy Coop) which they cuddle up to.

Thank you! I'm thinking when they do finally go out, I will put them in the run in a large dog crate so the other birds can see then and get used to them, and I may run an extensions cord down and put their heating plate in the run with them (it's one of the ones on legs that looks like a little table). Then they'll have it if they need it, and the other birds can get used to seeing them without being able to get to them.