Are my chicks ready to be outside?

[Redsinri]

So I’m pondering the idea of moving my 8 baby chicks (3 RI Reds, 2 Barred Rocks, 2 Easter eggers, and 1 Buff Orpington) out back into their coop and run now! They will be 5 weeks old this Wednesday(6/24/20). In RI over the next 10 days will be average high of mid to upper 80s and lows to mid to upper 60s. Is it still too cool at night for them? Should we wait a few more weeks?
Everything I’ve read has said 6-8 weeks but we are In our summer months where temperatures are higher now. Just looking for some advice

Also how do you properly move them? Just let them in the run or keep them in the coop for a day or two?

 

[RebelChief]

I put mine straight in the coop. They aren't even a week old. They stay in their brooder box in the run since I already have 7 hens in the hen house. The brooder plate is in there if they need to get warm.

 

[amk122284]

My girls are about a week older than yours. They've been out in the run now the last 3 days, they've been in the outdoor coop for 3 weeks (it's big 7x7). They are loving outside! It's gotten down to 49 at night but the coop never goes below 65, they huddle together. During the day it's all most 90 all ready! I've still got some work to do on the run, hubby will be putting up steel roof where the tarp is. I'm going to do some landscaping around the coop but weve been outside pretty much the entire time they are out and our only real predator is typically hawks.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Have you weaned them off the heat yet?

If yes then they should be ok.

I would keep them in the coop until the day has warmed some unless the morning sun shines in the run.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I pull chicks off heat 3-4 weeks. If you haven't already weaned yours off, work on that now, then you can move them out.

If there's no adult chickens to deal with my preference is to lock them in the coop for a few days as long as temperatures are moderate enough that the coop does not get too hot (anything 85F+ in coop, I would not lock them in).

 

[Redsinri]

Have you weaned them off the heat yet?

If yes then they should be ok.

I would keep them in the coop until the day has warmed some unless the morning sun shines in the run.

So we only usually put the heat lamp on at night just when they’re sleeping.. they’re spending most of the days in the run and coming in at night

 

[Redsinri]

I pull chicks off heat 3-4 weeks. If you haven't already weaned yours off, work on that now, then you can move them out.

If there's no adult chickens to deal with my preference is to lock them in the coop for a few days as long as temperatures are moderate enough that the coop does not get too hot (anything 85F+ in coop, I would not lock them in).

Weaning them as in lamp only at night or just stop using it all together

 

[Redsinri]

night

Would you also keep them locked up during the day too? Is this how they learn where to roost?

 

[21hens-incharge]

Closing them in the coop for several days helps them learn that the coop is safe and home.

Weaning them off heat is having reduced the heat by raising it higher then shut it off during the day followed by removing it completely.

Since they have only been getting added heat at night you are almost there.

Is the brooder in a room you can close off from the rest of the house? If so I would close that door, open a window and turn off that heat.

 

[humblehillsfarm]

Mine were 4 weeks old when I put them in a small outdoor brooder coop 4 weeks ago. They'll be fine!