Any Oregonians out there?

[chickencrazy9]

Hey there,

I'm looking for people from Oregon to get advice for our area.
I have 10 six week old chicks and I'm wondering when people around here are putting them into the coop.

This is the second day they've been off of the heat lamp and they've been doing fine. The temps outside are low to mid 50's during te day and low to mid 40's at night.

I'm wondering when you guys have been or are going to moving chicks this age outside? I will not have electricity to the coop. The ambient temp in the garage has been 55 but the thermometer the chickens sleep on says 81 underneath them!

Just looking for some regional advice. Thank you!

 

[DeannaMari]

We had chicks last year (not going to do it this year) We moved our out once they had all their feathers, at about 8 weeks we put them into the coop. That is usually the recommended age to move them out. I live in the valley though, so it may be different on the coast, we don't get super strong winds or anything in the valley. But we would move them out at 8 weeks. Also, if there is any way that you can run an extension cord from your house to the coop for extra heat, just for at night, you could put them out there earlier. Just make sure you're predator proof.

 

[tcstoehr]

I live in Canby, halfway between Portland and Salem. My chicks just got moved out to the new coop at the age of 5 weeks. I did, however, run an extension cord out for a heat lamp which I leave on only at night. I checked in just before going to bed and they were hunkered down together far away from the heat lamp. First thing in the morning they were near the lamp but not underneath it. The morning temperature was 37F. Later in the morning they were up and around. They seem to be having no issues with the temperatures so far. I think at six weeks you are fine. But if you're worried, wait til eight weeks and then I'm sure you're golden. If they get cold they just huddle together. IMHO they are fine now, but they're not my chicks so that's easy for me to say.

 

[Farmer Viola]

Hey, I'm in Oregon too! I moved my chicks out at 5 weeks, they are 7 weeks now. I DID run an extension cord however, I use a Brinsea EcoGlow not a red heat lamp. it creates ambient heat, not direct (similar to body heat). it's 40F at night here, 50-60 during the day

they would pile up under the ecoglow brooder at first, but now they all sleep on the roost. I started teaching them to roost when they were still in the brooder.

one night about a week ago, I went outside and put all the chicks on the roost after dark one time. every night since then, they ALL get on the roost by themselves (before it was just 2-5 of 14). no more ecoglow!
roosting is very important, since they will cover their feet with their feathers to stay warm. if you want, you can reach in on them at night and feel under their wings and touch their feet and see if they're warm or not. roosting also keeps them from piling up. they will pile on top of each other in the corner when cold, which can/will kill chicks. So I think if you can get them to roost instead of pile, you will be golden.

it also depends on how feathered they are. mine were pretty impressively feathered at 6 weeks, but some breeds might not be? can you post pics?

edited for clarity: I put mine outside with heat at 5 weeks, but at 6 weeks they were sleeping on the roost AWAY from heat.

 

[chickencrazy9]

Hey, I'm in Oregon too! I moved my chicks out at 5 weeks, they are 7 weeks now. I DID run an extension cord however, I use a Brinsea EcoGlow not a red heat lamp. it creates ambient heat, not direct (similar to body heat). it's 40F at night here, 50-60 during the day

they would pile up under the ecoglow brooder at first, but now they all sleep on the roost. I started teaching them to roost when they were still in the brooder.

one night about a week ago, I went outside and put all the chicks on the roost after dark one time. every night since then, they ALL get on the roost by themselves (before it was just 2-5 of 14). no more ecoglow!
roosting is very important, since they will cover their feet with their feathers to stay warm. if you want, you can reach in on them at night and feel under their wings and touch their feet and see if they're warm or not. roosting also keeps them from piling up. they will pile on top of each other in the corner when cold, which can/will kill chicks. So I think if you can get them to roost instead of pile, you will be golden.

it also depends on how feathered they are. mine were pretty impressively feathered at 6 weeks, but some breeds might not be? can you post pics?

edited for clarity: I put mine outside with heat at 5 weeks, but at 6 weeks they were sleeping on the roost AWAY from heat.

Thank you for the great response!
My chicks are Easter Eggers and Golden Sex Links.
The sex links look like they have a tiny bit more feathering out that needs to be done. My thought was that I'd keep them in the turn out pen until they're 10 weeks old.

Here is my EE last week.

I turned the heat lamp off just 2 days ago. They seem to be doing well. The temp gets down to the mid to high 50's at night. They do still sleep all clumped together though.
I can help eliminate this by providing roosts?

Thank you so much for your response fellow Oregonians!

 

[Farmer Viola]

Thank you for the great response!
My chicks are Easter Eggers and Golden Sex Links.
The sex links look like they have a tiny bit more feathering out that needs to be done. My thought was that I'd keep them in the turn out pen until they're 10 weeks old.



Here is my EE last week.

I turned the heat lamp off just 2 days ago. They seem to be doing well. The temp gets down to the mid to high 50's at night. They do still sleep all clumped together though.
I can help eliminate this by providing roosts?

Thank you so much for your response fellow Oregonians!

you are so welcome! we are glad to have you here and Welcome!

come join us in the Oregon thread if you like: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/48/oregon/8140

you might have to physically put them on the roosts at night so they get the idea. I gave them tree branches in the brooder from weeks 1-5, then a real 2x4 roost in the coop. I had to put them on the coop roost myself. all of 1 time, after that, they did it automatically hah.

if you want, you can slowly transition them from warm to cool by eventually opening a window in the garage where they live now. I would space out turning off the heat lamp, and opening the window, by about 1 week.

 

[New-2-Ducks]

I'm from hood river! We just out our ducklings and chicks together in their own little coop away from the adults. They've been out there for a week and a half and they seem to be doing great! they forage and run around and have a great time .