What age are chicks ready to be outside full time?

[hope524]

My chicks are going to be six weeks old. When should I put them outside? First time chicken owner.

 

[Percheron chick]

Some of that will depend upon how many you have and how cold it gets at night. If you have 5-6 and it's only getting down to 60* they could go out now without any supplemental heat. Honestly, I'd put them out yesterday.

 

[Reesling]

I agree with Percheron.
If it is colder than 60°F at night, then you must wait until they have fully grown their new set of feather. Down feathers are useless for outdoor climates.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

By six weeks, most chickens are going to be fully feathered (or nearly so) and able to maintain their own body temperature through even fairly drastic swings in environmental temperatures. Mine were out in an unheated coop at 5 weeks in temperatures of 50/70 night-day - and at six weeks we had a freak cold snap and snow storm with temperatures at/below 30 - they were happy as little clams in their coop.

 

[hope524]

I have fifteen chickens and I believe they have most of their feathers. The lowest it has been at night here was 70 I believe. We are in michigan.

 

[hope524]

This is what they look like

 

[Reesling]

With 70° nights, they are definetely ready to go outside.

 

[donrae]

Go ahead and put them out. They'll enjoy it!

 

[troy4]

^ weeks is perfect as long as they are almost fully feathered is ok! 6.7 weeks is ok to put out!