Can my chicks stay outside

[chick chat]

I have three 4 week old chicks that have been living in my bathroom but now that there hen house is built is it okay for me to put them outside with a heat lamp in the hen house? I have a thermometer in there and it reads 80F

Thanks for your help
Tricia

 

[ArcticFowl]

I put 26 americanaus that were 4 weeks old outside in less than that temps with a heatlamp in the coop if they felt the need and they have all adjusted fine and are doing well till this day..

but soon mine will have to deal with -45 or below temps so I guess get em used to it they will thrive..


if your coop is draft free and that warm they should be fine without any worries.. I did check on mine 10-15 times a day the first few days after that I knew it was ok and they were doing fine all acted very well adjusted.

 

[bobbi-j]

I put my 1-day old chicks out in the coop in April, and I live in MN. At 4 weeks I wouldn't think they'd need additional heat if it's 80 in there. Maybe at night, depending on how cool it gets. Just make sure they can get away from the heat if they need to. I usually decide more on the conditions and how they're doing rather than a magical age as to when to take away the heat lamps.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Here are some of my recent experiences with chicks.

Late last fall I put 5 week old chicks in my grow-out coop with no heat. Overnight lows were in the 40's. A few days later, we had an overnight low in the mid-20's. They had no heat. They were fine.

I've had broodies take chicks to the roost at 2 weeks. They were not under the broody but were exposed. This was the middle of summer so it was pretty warm. They were fine.

This summer I had chicks in my brooder in the coop. It was pretty hot during the day. I turned the day-time heat off in the brooder on the second day. I turned the night-time heat off at day 6. Yes, the night-time heat was off before they were a week old. Night-time lows were in the mid-70's. They were fine.

I don't know what your overnight lows are. Those would be my concern, not the daytime high temperatures. I very seriously doubt you need any heat at all out there day or night.

I assume you are not putting them with older chickens. Integration would be a concern, but not the heat.

 

[chick chat]

Thanks for all your input! I will keep the lamp off durning the day but put it on at night and let the chicks decide if they want to be under it or not.