My chickens seem enormous compared to when we got them 2 weeks ago. It seems to me like they have their feathers, but I am new at this and don't want to put them out too prematurely. The weather here in Massachusetts has been unseasonably cool. I want to put them in the coop so they can get used to living in there and then introduce them to the amazing run my husband is almost done with. I am really hesitant to put them out there with the red brooder light. Right now the light is not near anything and there is no chance it will touch anything. Should I put a lesser watt bulb in there for nights? The weekend is supposed to be really nice during the day 70s/-80s, so I plan on getting them in there tomorrow. Not sure if I can start leaving them out there at night. I think they much prefer the coop to the box in the garage. Suggestions?
With those temps, I'm surprised you haven't put them out already! They can typically stand very cold temps at 6 weeks, but only if they've been weaned from the heat lamp.
Those nice daytime temps don't matter, how cool does it get at night? I've had chicks 5-1/2 weeks old go through nights with the temperatures in the mid 20's Fahrenheit with no supplemental heat. Those down coats they wear work extremely well. Does the coop have good ventilation and good breeze protection down low where they will be? I manage that by having the only openings in winter over their heads. In summer there are a lot of lower openings also, but not in winter.