At what age are they fully feathered?

[From the North]

A spin-off of the "how fast do they grow" thread.

Also, my understanding is that once they are fully feathered, they can regulate their own temperature, is this correct? So if they are fully feathered at 6 weeks, can they go from indoors to outdoors fairly easily? I'm hoping in 6 weeks the outdoor temps will be in the 30-50 F range.

 

[salt and pepper]

A spin-off of the "how fast do they grow" thread.

Also, my understanding is that once they are fully feathered, they can regulate their own temperature, is this correct? So if they are fully feathered at 6 weeks, can they go from indoors to outdoors fairly easily? I'm hoping in 6 weeks the outdoor temps will be in the 30-50 F range.

Now following this thread =)

 

[binza1979]

I just put my 5 to 7 weekers out in my coop. I put a heat lamp in the coop so they could have heat if they needed. It was in the high 20s last night. It was cold, but when I checked on them this morning, they were sleeping in a pile away from the heat lamp.

 

[From the North]

Now following this thread =)

Is that because this is a controversial or really dumb question? I see your reply and my immediate thought was "uh oh. did I open a can of worms here or what?". Hoping this doesn't turn into some kind of trainwreck???

 

[liljunie]

I have this same question. It is 30-50 degrees and my silkie chicks are 6 and 9 weeks old. I put them out during the day and they huddle together looking cold. This weeks forecast is 30-50...should I keep them in another week?

 

[debid]

Fully feathered is having feather coverage -- no more downy heads. It happens at different ages for different chicks. Some are feathered at 4 weeks while others take twice that (or longer, sometimes). If you can transition them a bit so they have a more gradual change, they'll be happier and you'll worry less.

I put mine in their coop with the pop door closed for the first week to transition. This way, they would be protected from wind and predators while learning that their new space was safe and dry. They seemed so excited to have more room! They slept in a chick raft at first but moved to the roost after a few nights.

 

[salt and pepper]

Is that because this is a controversial or really dumb question? I see your reply and my immediate thought was "uh oh. did I open a can of worms here or what?". Hoping this doesn't turn into some kind of trainwreck???

Because I have multiple chicks that I want out of my house! Lol

 

[QuietPony]

Because I have multiple chicks that I want out of my house! Lol

Mine just got here. They have not yet worn out the "being inside" welcome.

 

[salt and pepper]

Mine have been in for a month, and that's quite long enough! Then my feed store HAS to get assorted rare breeds, so I guess chickens will be in a little longer...

 

[ArticStrat]

Tomorrow is two weeks for mine, with the exception of 6 Isa browns that I picked up from TSC which have been in 4 days longer than all of the others. I have 39 chickens and 4 turkeys in my brooder on the sun room. I love having them in. My wife and I were talking yesterday about how we will go into shock when they move to the coop in a few weeks.