Can I put them out yet or not??? Advice needed please my friends :)

[pinkribbons4]

Okay everyone...I need your much trusted advice

While I love my little babies, they are starting to drive me crazy being inside the house

We live in a small cabin that is one open room, so they are right smack dab in the middle of the living/dining/sleeping/TV space, and the dust is about driving me up the wall.

I have 8 all together. Six of them will be 6 weeks old on Tuesday, and two of the will be 5 weeks old on Tuesday. I am wondering if it's ok to put them outside yet or not. Our coop is finished. Here is a link to what it looks like...

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/646680/my-coop

I have plexi glass that I can put up over the windows at night to help keep in the heat, and I plan on bringing out the 250w heat lamp as well. There aren't any drafts in the coop, and we have 6 ventilation holes that are spread out along the top of the coop (added since pics were taken).

The temperatures are around 50 during the day and 30 at night.

The breeds that I have are 2 blue laced red wyandottes, 1 light brahma, 1 polish, 1 maran, 1 lemon cuckoo orpington, and 2 frizzle cochin bantams

So I would love your advice on wether or not I can transfer my babies to their new home or not. Thank you so much my lovely BYC friends

 

[Fred's Hens]

First, many folks brood outside from day one. I am one of those.

Yes, of course, they can go out. I'd still offer a warm spot, especially at night, by stringing an extension cord and safely hanging a heat bulb. They might not spend a lot of time in the heat spot, but will sleep under it on especially cold nights.

 

[suezqz_64]

During the day shouldn't be a problem but watch the temp at night. If it's going to dip below freezing I'd bring them in, even if just for that night. I really think we have one more snow to get before the season breaks for good, I'm in RI. It's been a strange season. You might consider giving them some extra feed to give them the energy they will need to keep warm, fatten them up a little.

 

[Chick Norris]

We put our day-old chicks in the coop. Give them a heat lamp and they will sleep as close or as far away from it as they need to to keep warm. Secure your lamp well (so you don't wake up at night worrying about it) and everyone will be fine. If they are in a big brooder box, you could move the whole thing out to the coop and position your lamp accordingly over the brooder.

 

[ButchGood]

I'm in Texas so its a bit warmer here that the northeast. We put or chicks outside during the day at 2 weeks old and into the coop with a lamp at 3 weeks old. God Bless You for keeping them in your home for as long as you did. Mine had a spare bedroom for 3 weeks.
Mine will be 4 weeks old this weekend and I keep flirting with the idea of taking the lamp out completely. Lows in the upper forties and lower 50's. I may wait for the lows to hit the 60's or get some more feathers.
The chicks will be much happier outside, you'll see a big difference in attitude and actions. If I were you Id definitely put them in the coop. Keep them warm with a light at night, and let them graze in the run during the day. As soon as they are fully feathered you can loose the light.

 

[chicken pickin]

We are in the same boat. We have 12 almost 6 week old chicks(in the garage) But they are getting rambunctious and every time I open the brooder they are all flying out to hang out on the cover which is great but some try flying around the garage and try to land on things that arent sturdy(ive had 2 this week with a bleeding foot) It is def time for them to get outside to the coop. I think we may do the transfer on sunday Im excited for this transition but Im so nervous also. Im affraid they will freeze but not as much as Im affraid we didnt predator proof enough and my babies will turn into fastfood chicken nuggets for a starving animal This is my thought though we have to let chickens be chickens and chickens belong outside were they have been raised for eternity by mama hen in the freezing without the fort knox coops and blazing heat lamps lol. Good luck putting your babies outside and your coop is awesome, I love the set up and I love the colors.

 

[RonC]

My six have been out since Monday. They are about 6 weeks old and mostly feathered, a little on the side of there face is still fuzz. It's been about 50 at night and days anywhere from 60-80 degrees. No heat lamp but there is a small light(flouresent) in the coop to encourage them to go in at night. They get on the roosts but still sleep together in the bedding on the floor. Seem to be alot happier as the coop is twice the floor size of the brooder and then they have a hundered sq. ft run. My coop size is a little on the small size at sixteen sq ft but with our weather they shouldn't be restricted to it. Had thunderstorms and tornadoes about 2 days ago and they would not stay in the coop (I tried putting them in it

), stayed under it when it was raining.

 

[pinkribbons4]

Thank you everyone for your thoughtful responses!!! I am really wanting to put them out there this afternoon, I'm just super scared they will freeze tonight

But with all the windows closed up, and a heat lamp going I feel like it should be warm enough...I don't know...ugh!