5 Week Chicks in Chicago...when should they go outside?

[rahbunn]

I have 8 chicks that are 5 weeks. I live in a suburb of Chicago and want to know when they should go outside to their coop and run.

I have two Orps, one Barred Rock, one Silver Wyandotte, 1 Andalusian and 3 Americaunas.

I currently have them in a large dog cage in our house with a heat lamp at 78 degrees.
We are thinking of transitioning them to the garage with a heat lamp for a few weeks; and then out to the coop, but need some advice and guidance.

Thank you.

 

[azygous]

They are probably ready to go live in a coop, but you need to acclimatize them first. You need to wean them off heat first, then slowly expose them to cooler temps. You can achieve this by opening a window and letting their room cool off. You can also start taking them outdoors on nice days, gradually increasing the length they're out.

Usually by five weeks, chicks no longer need heat if they've been weaned gradually off heat beginning in their second week. People mistakenly think chicks need constant heat, but the weaning process should actually begin almost immediately.

 

[Ridgerunner]

They are probably ready to go live in a coop, but you need to acclimatize them first. You need to wean them off heat first, then slowly expose them to cooler temps. You can achieve this by opening a window and letting their room cool off. You can also start taking them outdoors on nice days, gradually increasing the length they're out.

Usually by five weeks, chicks no longer need heat if they've been weaned gradually off heat beginning in their second week. People mistakenly think chicks need constant heat, but the weaning process should actually begin almost immediately.

I agree with this. If the inside of your house is anywhere close to 70, they don’t need that heat lamp now.

I don’t know how cold it gets in your garage. They may or may not need any heat at all out there. I’d suggest trying it without heat and see how they react, especially if it is an attached garage.

Without knowing how cold it is in your garage it’s hard to get real specific. If the chicks act cold I’d try to set that heat lamp up so it warms a small part of that dog crate only if you can and let he rest cool off. That’s a lot easier to do if it is one of those wire cages and not a plastic crate that is pretty much enclosed.

An alternative is to make a brooder out of something else, many people use a cardboard appliance box or maybe tape two together so it is bigger. At five weeks they can fly really well so it needs a cover.