5 week old chicks ok to go outside?

[tdkmom]

My reds are 5 weeks and for the past week they have spent the days in and out as they please and nights locked up tight in the coop. I close the windows but keep the fan running at night along w/ 1 of the brooder lamps just in case anyone wants to get warm. They are all doing great. Days are 80's and nights are 65ish here in western PA.

 

[cris320]

so my chicks are about 5 weeks old, they are in the run separate from the big girls. I am in AZ and right now we are getting into the low 40's at night do they need the heat still?

 

[azygous]

Watch them. They will tell you if they're still using the heat source.

If you have them in a brooder large enough that the heat is at one end and the other end is cool, and they want to sleep at the cool end, then it's your cue to remove the heat source.

Are the chicks integrating with any adult chickens? Or do they have the entire run and coop to themselves?

 

[domino2339]

So I live in Michigan, and we are in line with a nice cold front

(Got to love Michigans weather). I have had my 21 5 1/2 week old chicks outside for 3 days now. I have two heat light and 2 heating chicken pads in the coop. Monday we are getting down to 12! Should I let them be or bring them back in?

 

[Therese 11]

Hey you are doing fine with your chicken keeping. I give you a thumbs up. And you don't NEED a heat lamp in with your chicks. They will get use to the warm weather we are going to put our chicks outside today and it is 70.5 degrees here. And we are use to having chickens and they did fine so I think you are ok you don't want to leave them in your house. Therese

 

[Therese 11]

What is the temp?

 

[Therese 11]

You all look like you are doing fine.

 

[RoseMary12]

So I live in Michigan, and we are in line with a nice cold front

(Got to love Michigans weather). I have had my 21 5 1/2 week old chicks outside for 3 days now. I have two heat light and 2 heating chicken pads in the coop. Monday we are getting down to 12! Should I let them be or bring them back in?

I think you should add another heat lamp if you have one. If you don't have any more, you should probably bring them in. Chickens are tough, but all of my neighbors' full growns died of cold one winter. We live in Missouri. So, like I said, you might want to add another heat lamp.

 

[azygous]

Ordinarily, chicks will adapt splendidly to colder temps. However, chickens of any age find it difficult to cope with sudden and extreme fluctuations in temperature. If your chicks have been doing nicely at around 70F, but a cold front suddenly moves in and the temp drops thirty degrees within hours, they will definitely suffer without additional heat. The same applies to the reverse - sudden heat waves will kill chickens even faster.

But beware of making it too warm for your chicks by adding too many heat lamps. It's better to maintain cool spaces, allowing chicks to regulate themselves. At nearly six weeks old, I would just have enough heat lamps to provide warming spots of not more than 70F. Where chickens of any age are concerned, you want to keep the temperature spread as narrow as possible. Even though it may not be suitable to human comfort, it will be completely sufficient for chicks.

 

[SuperBuckBuck]

I have 5, five week old chicks (or are they pullets?) and I just put them outside today. Highs will be in the 90's and lows around 60f. I have a heat lamp in the hen house keeping it around 75ish in the periphery.  There are two 10"X10" open metal clothed windows near the top of the henhouse to allow for air flow. Should they be alright? They have all of their adult feathers already and with the heat lamp in the henhouse I thought they would be ok. Run is almost done should have the whole thing finished by Sunday and I will post pictures. I am new to this site and new to chicken keeping so any help would be great.



I guess I should also mention our small flock consists of an Anmericauna, Barred Rock, SL Wyndotte, Houdan and a White Crested Polish. I live in the Pacific NW and this is a brand new venture for our family.


Thanks!

This is my second time raising chicks, and I feel like those temps are great!! 90 make sure the heat lamp IS NOT on or they will get to hot. 65 make sure the light is on of it will get too cold. In my opinion I think it's best to slowly introduce the chicks to the big outside world. Take them out for visits once they turn a week old then they will be more use to it when they reach their final destination outside. Oh and pullets are chicks. That means they are females