Are they ready to go outside?

[fancydixie]

We are new to this and these are our 1st two girls. They are 6 six weeks old and we live in oklahoma. Temps are in the 50s and get down to 30s and night. I'm looking for some advice and opinions on if they are ready to get locked in their coop for awhile.

 

[PD-Riverman]

We are new to this and these are our 1st two girls. They are 6 six weeks old and we live in oklahoma. Temps are in the 50s and get down to 30s and night. I'm looking for some advice and opinions on if they are ready to get locked in their coop for awhile.

Mine are always on the dirt staying in their coop at 6 weeks old. No problems, BUT I did not take them from a 80/90 degree place and put them in a 30 degree place. If you been keeping them with heat----start reducing the heat over the next couple weeks----no heat in the day less and less at night. They will be fine then to leave them out in their Protected area.

 

[fancydixie]

They've been kept indoors with heat. Would it be safe to move them to the coop and provide a heat lamp for at night?

 

[Ridgerunner]

My brooder is in the coop. I have 22 chicks that have been in it since I took them out of the incubator a week and a half ago. You’re across the state line somewhere and might have a good idea of what kind of temperature swings we’ve had.

If you can safely use a heat lamp out there or provide a warm spot some other way, don’t have adults out there that can cause integration issues, and can keep them out of a direct wind, there is no reason you can’t take them out there now. If you use that heat lamp, get rid of the clamp and wire it into place so it cannot be knocked down by you or them.

I’ve had chicks less than 6 weeks old go through temperatures like you are talking about, but mine were acclimated. Yesterday morning my low was 18F. You are probably not through with temperatures well below 30 this winter, but after a week being exposed to colder temps your chicks should be able to handle it fine.

You only have two chickens, how big is your coop and how well ventilated up high is it? When acclimating them you want them to have a warm spot to go to if they need it, but they also need to get to cool spots, they will spend a lot of time in the cooler areas. They seem to enjoy the cool but can go back to warm areas if they need to. If your coop is tiny you may have trouble getting a cool spot, especially in warmer weather or if ventilation is poor.

 

[PD-Riverman]

They've been kept indoors with heat. Would it be safe to move them to the coop and provide a heat lamp for at night?

Yes!!

 

[fancydixie]

My brooder is in the coop. I have 22 chicks that have been in it since I took them out of the incubator a week and a half ago. You’re across the state line somewhere and might have a good idea of what kind of temperature swings we’ve had.

If you can safely use a heat lamp out there or provide a warm spot some other way, don’t have adults out there that can cause integration issues, and can keep them out of a direct wind, there is no reason you can’t take them out there now. If you use that heat lamp, get rid of the clamp and wire it into place so it cannot be knocked down by you or them.

I’ve had chicks less than 6 weeks old go through temperatures like you are talking about, but mine were acclimated. Yesterday morning my low was 18F. You are probably not through with temperatures well below 30 this winter, but after a week being exposed to colder temps your chicks should be able to handle it fine.

You only have two chickens, how big is your coop and how well ventilated up high is it? When acclimating them you want them to have a warm spot to go to if they need it, but they also need to get to cool spots, they will spend a lot of time in the cooler areas. They seem to enjoy the cool but can go back to warm areas if they need to. If your coop is tiny you may have trouble getting a cool spot, especially in warmer weather or if ventilation is poor.

I have a 32 sqft coop that's 6 foot high 2 feet off the ground. Also I have 8 more chicks but they are a few weeks younger so these 1st 2 chickens will be the 1st in the coop. No other adult birds yet.

 

[debid]

If you can secure the heat lamp so it can't fall, chicks can be *started* in a coop. I've never raised a chick in the house, myself. But yes, those two should be transitioned. They don't need any heat in a human-temp house. If you're going to put them out, I'd offer a roost (not under the heat) and put the heat at one end. When you see them sleep on the roost, they're done with the lamp. You'll save yourself a lot of trouble by integrating now. Put the whole lot out with the lamp.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Sounds like a 4’ x 8’. Put the lamp in one end and let the rest cool off. Sounds perfect with some ventilation up high.

 

[PD-Riverman]

Being you only have 2, I would not use the red 250 watt heat lamp bulb. I would use about a 40 watt with the light about 1 foot off the floor so they can get under it if the want, Yes secure the light so they do not knock it off----No way would I use a heat-lamp bulb.

 

[chickens really]

They've been kept indoors with heat. Would it be safe to move them to the coop and provide a heat lamp for at night?

IT DEPENDS ON HOW COLD THE OUTSIDE TEMPS ARE COMPARED TO YOUR INSIDE TEMPS??
If the temps are a huge difference?......you will need to condition them to cooler temps.....


Cheers......