Can my chicks go outside yet?

[RBiddulph]

My Chicks are getting big. I need to know when I should put them outside in their coop? I'm in GA and it's about 75ish during the days and 60s at night. My chicks are about 3 & 4 weeks old. I'm new to this. They are starting to loose their baby feathers. I have been moving the lamp accordingly, but they still seem to sit out of the heat, so I'm trying to keep them comfortable. I currently have them inside in a makeshift brooder & have let them go outside once (supervised & contained).

 

[Odelia]

If the weather is good they can go outside during the day. You will still need to put them back in the brooder at night for a week or two more depending on how cold your night time temps are and how fully feathered your chicks are.

 

[foreverlearning]

Because different breeds feather out at different ages there is no set age to let them out. Generally when they are fully feathered it is time for them to be in the coop without added heat. Remember to give them a bowl of grit if they have access to bugs or grass outside. If I were you I would put them in the coop now and if it gets too cool or they look cold (huddled together, puffed up) I would just bring the heat to them. I also suggest that until they know to go to the coop at night putting up a fence or pen of some sort. I like deer netting ($13 for 7'x100' at hardware stores) as a temp fence for them. It is too much to run around the entire yard trying to catch them before they learn. After a few days of you putting them in the coop at dusk they will start to do it on their own and you can remove the fencing/pen.

 

[RBiddulph]

Thank you! This is very helpful! I will work on this this weekend.

 

[gander007]

At three weeks I start putting them outside to get calamities to the
great out doors and it aids in feather growth if it is a little cooler
for them but bring them back inside in the evening ..