At what age are they fully feathered?

[salt and pepper]

I like them inside for the first week, then I'm ready to put them out. lol. Unfortunately, it might be a while before they go out due to bad weather, and getting more chicks ( I want to put them out at the same time) Oh well, when they start laying, they are worth it =) I've been thinking about getting turkeys.. I'd only get two or three, their names would be thanksgiving, Christmas, and summer =) Lol, I just don't know as much about them.

 

[liljunie]

I have 2 9.5 weeks old, 4 that are 6.5 weeks and 4 that are 2.5 weeks and 35 eggs in the incubator. 19 due on Easter Sunday and the other 16 due to hatch on the following Thursday. I want to put the oldest 6 outs by this weekend to make room for the new chicks.

The older chicks are loving the finished basement...but they have overstayed their welcome. I wish the weather was a bit warmer!

 

[salt and pepper]

at 9.5 weeks old, all you would need to do is put a 60 wat bulb in the coop for 2 days and they should be fine =)

 

[Feathers n Fur]

So glad I found this thread. I was hoping to put my 7 chicks out in the coop with a lamp or two next week they are currently 6.5, 5 and 4 wks old so by the time they go out they will be 7.5, 6 and 5 wks old. They've been in my basement for a month now and they stink despite the fact that I clean them out every three days. Since the gaming system is in the basement my teenage son complains of the smell. If a teenage boy complains of smell you know it's bad.

I was first thinking it was too early but after reading this thread, this coming weekend is coop day for sure!

 

[amynrichie]

I put all 31 of my 3 weekers outside (in the coop, not fully outside yet.) yesterday. Night temp got down to 32F. They have two heat lamps and they did just fine. When I peeked in, they were sleeping all together, but not piled up. They very readily jumped up to go get food and water, and to stretch out their wings. They are really loving having the space to try their flying skills.

I'm so glad to have them out of the house!

 

[MusiGal]

I have seven 5-weekers. I brought them outside for the first time on Friday and then again Saturday & Sunday...just for a few hours each day and they LOVE it. Of course, now I think they don't have enough room in the large cage I have them in our house. I have a 4' X 4' coop inside of a 10' X 16' X 6' enclosed run. The coop has no electricity, so no lights or heat lamps. It does have a sky light. It's raining today through Wednesday and the highs are all week are supposed to be in the mid to upper 60's with the lows in the mid to upper 50's...lowest low being Thursday night at 48. I'm thinking this weekend will be the grand move-in date.

 

[woodmort]

Not only do different breeds feather out at different times but even within the same hatching birds will feather at different rates so there is no set timetable. That being said, I've found if you keep them in a brooding area where they can get away from the heat they will feather out faster. Newbies, in particular, then to keep their chicks too warm for too long especially if they are brooding in a small box--give 'em room and they'll go outside faster.

 

[DurangoChickens]

I have 17 four week old chicks that re definitely not as welcome now as there we're in their first week in the bathtub. We have an unoccupied coop, with easy electrical access... And we are wondering it would be okay to put them out this week??

 

[SmColorInDaPan]

Wish me luck. Have the 5 week olds in the hutch, with horse blanket over most of it, for the night.. It has Windbreak sides. May put rice in socks, warm them, lay them inside for warmth. The heat lamp is keeping the week old ones warm INSIDE tonight. Tempted to bring them in but they NEED to used to the outside.
Sigh....

 

[sparrow.star]

Three ducks: Breakfast,

I like them inside for the first week, then I'm ready to put them out. lol. Unfortunately, it might be a while before they go out due to bad weather, and getting more chicks ( I want to put them out at the same time) Oh well, when they start laying, they are worth it =) I've been thinking about getting turkeys.. I'd only get two or three, their names would be thanksgiving, Christmas, and summer =) Lol, I just don't know as much about them.

Lunch and Dinner