Are these chicks big/feathered enough to move into a coop during the day?

[JitterbugFarm]

This is our first year with chickens. I have 8 chicks that are about 4-5 weeks old (I can't remember exactly when I bought them at our local Co-Op). We have an 8x12 shed coming which we are converting into a coop and a fence being installed in a couple of weeks. In the mean time, I purchased a small coop just to help transition them into being outside. Are these chicks large enough to be put in the coop during the day, and then brough in at night? We took the heat off of them a week ago, but they are still in our bathroom with two other brooders where the heat lamps are on, so they stay fairly toasty just being in the bathroom. Our weather during the day has been in the high 40's to the mid-60's... They seem to be getting antsy and hop out every time I take the cover off their brooder!

Thanks!
Tammy







This is the little coop we bought to transition them for a couple of weeks. We also have a larger one we can use that can hold 5-6 full grown hens if need be...

 

[boskelli1571]

Hello and welcome! Personally, I won't put birds outside until they are at least 8 weeks and the temp is constantly above 60F, but I live in NY state.... I suppose you could put them in the small coop in a very sunny spot for a few hours, but monitor closely so they don't get chilled. What varieties are they?? They look adorable!

 

[donrae]

Those chicks are well able to handle being outside during the day. Make sure they're not in a drafty area--it's not so much the temperatures, it's the wet and/or wind that is more dangerous.

 

[JitterbugFarm]

Thanks for the advice! I actually just looked at the weather and it's suppossed to be in the high 60's even peeping into the low 70's over the next week (maybe Spring is finally here?)...so this will probably be a good time to start the acclimation process.

As for the breeds, the darker colored one is a speckled sussex, and the buffy colored one is a standard buff brahma. In the brooder (you can see some of their little heads peeping out) are another BB and SS, plus 2 RIRs, one Barred Rock, and one Tetra Tint.

Tammy