Are chicks ready to go outside?

[chickennewb-E]

9 weeks and 44 at night? Yes. Should've already been.

i heard this too, but it’ll be 29 again today and i read they need 70 degrees or so?

 

[Brooks_]

i heard this too, but it’ll be 29 again today and i read they need 70 degrees or so?

At 9 weeks old they'll be fine. Well ventilated and draft free is all they need.

 

[Anime2lover]

It can go right in the coop if you get one made for use in coops.

 

[EmmaRainboe]

They will be fine. 44 is nothing.

 

[NatJ]

Just googling it it says minimum 65 for 9 week olds. But it may vary.

It may say that, but it is wrong.

I'm guessing you found one of those charts of gradually decreasing temperatures according to ages of chicks. They're not quite accurate even for the first few weeks, and they are completely wrong when the chicks have all their feathers (around 6 weeks for most chicks.) At that point, chicks just need shelter from wind and rain, not protection from actual cold in most climates.

 

[K0k0shka]

they roost in the large brooder I made them. it’s 4’*6’. Do i put the box in the enclosed part and lock them up at night?

Yeah, put it in the area where they are expected to sleep at night. "Lock them up at night" as in close the coop/brooder/shelter for the night, not the huddle box. The huddle box is just there for comfort, and they may or may not use it. If they are outdoors during the day in a run or something, you'll need to put them in the coop/brooder by hand for the first few days, until they learn how to go in on their own. It will be new to them, and they won't know to go inside to sleep.

 

[veronicaseramachick]

It may say that, but it is wrong.

I'm guessing you found one of those charts of gradually decreasing temperatures according to ages of chicks. They're not quite accurate even for the first few weeks, and they are completely wrong when the chicks have all their feathers (around 6 weeks for most chicks.) At that point, chicks just need shelter from wind and rain, not protection from actual cold in most climates.

yes, I agree. That's what the chart it says, but they also have body heat from other birds so they would be fine. I didn't get the chance to change it.

 

[littledog]

Fully-feathered youngsters are fine to be in an outside coop with no other heat, as long as they're sheltered from rain and wind. I like the idea of a huddle box, to help them with the transition to outdoors.