are my babies ok to be moved to the chicken coop in WA?

[aprild78]

I have four chicks, and they are about five weeks old. We have a fully enclosed building that is the coop, with straw and roosting boxes. During the day I bring them outside as long as it isn't raining. I've been keeping them in a small pen in the garage at night with a heat lamp on. How long do they need the heat lamp for, and at what age are they ready to be in the coop at night and not need a heat lamp? Thank you!

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

When they are fully feathered, even on the head, they are ready to be without the heat lamp (in winter though I give them longer) this time of year.

So one more week or so I'd say for the light.

 

[aprild78]

Do they need any light at all during the night in the coop once the heat lamp is no longer need?

 

[mortie]

Start by shutting the light off in the garage at night. Then they won't need it when you move them to the coop.

 

[aprild78]

Thanks!!! first time chicken owner, I'm learning A LOT!

 

[mortie]

I misread your question as do they need the light in there for heat.

They don't need supplementary light inside the coop, although some people seem to use it to coax them in at night or to try and get them to lay in the winter. My coop has a big window so it's brighter on the inside but I didn't need a light to coax the chickens in at night. When we first put them out, we rounded them up and put them into the coop the first two nights. The third night I decided to wait and see if they would go in on their own and they did. Chickens are smarter than people give them credit for.

I am not sure if I will use supplementary lighting in winter yet. This is my first time as well.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Do they need any light at all during the night in the coop once the heat lamp is no longer need?

No they should sleep in the dark. If you have a light on all night long, you would need to have food and water in there as well to keep them out of trouble, if they can mill around in the middle of the night due to the light.

So if in wintertime you ever give them a light at night, be sure to add food and water.

I keep food in the coop all the time but no water, unless I have a light on in there. So in winter cold snaps when I turn my light on, I add a water dish. The water otherwise is just in the runs. But they are let out at daybreak! If you don't let them out at daybreak they do need water in the coop all the time.

They should spend all the daylight hours with food and water available (unless they are meat birds, which have restricted feeding schedules).

I hope this helps.

 

[gander007]

I have four chicks, and they are about five weeks old. We have a fully enclosed building that is the coop, with straw and roosting boxes. During the day I bring them outside as long as it isn't raining. I've been keeping them in a small pen in the garage at night with a heat lamp on. How long do they need the heat lamp for, and at what age are they ready to be in the coop at night and not need a heat lamp? Thank you!

This is the way I introduce my new chicks to the world and all
the older chickens get to see them long before I let them out
in the run and here these are just three weeks old but in another
three weeks the elders will be failure with them and the real
introduction is much smoother ...

 

[debp]

I have a question related to when to put chicks in the coop. I have 23 3-week old chicks of 3 breeds. In another week, I think they that 23 will crowd the 8' X 2' brooder, although they seem quite active and normal at this point. I have 6 New Hampshire birds that I think are the pullets that look like they will be feathered by the end of this week. And the 4 NH roos maybe close to feathered. My Brown leghorn pullets and some of my Barred Plymouth Rocks are just a bit behind, but at least 3 of my Barred Plymouth Rocks are no where near feathering in fully. Barely have their wing feathers. They seem stuck in terms of feathering, though they are very active, curious and the most friendly.

I should probably ask about their slow feathering, but I figure it might be genetics. My question is whether it would be okay to move some of the birds out to the coop before I move the others. That would give the remaining birds enough room in the brooder and keep them warm enough. I will have a heat lamp in the coop for a while, but the nights will likely get down into the 30s. Am Iikely to cause behavior problems by separating them for a week or two? It might be the 10 NH that would all go out together, leaving the rest behind for awhile. Or, it could be everyone but the 3 little Barred Rocks would go out together...?

UPDATE: So, I found a webpage explaining delayed feathering in some breeds, including Barred Rocks. It is a sex-linked trait, and based on how behind 3 of mine are and what I read, it is going to be quite a while until these birds have feathers! What will happen if I keep them in the brooder (maybe with a few others for warmth) until they become feathered - perhaps separating them for several weeks? Will they reintegrate okay? Is there a certain age by which I should try to get them out with the others?