can they go outside yet?

[greengardengirl]

I have three seven week old chicks ... and their coop should be finished this weekend (procrastination!! I know!). I really want my office back, so I want them outside now! My question is, since I don't have electricity or a heat source of any kind in the coop, can they go outside? It's unseasonably cold on Vancouver Island right now ... it was 5C (40F) this afternoon, and it's still going down to 2C (35F) at night! Should I figure out some way to get some electricity to the coop, wait a bit longer, or should they be OK? (They are Deleware and Amerucana)

 

[BellLisamo]

hi

Do you keep the light on all day in the brooder? Or do you shut it off most the time and turn it on at night?

I'll start with that, and then you'll cry when i tell you what i do with my chickens....

 

[cmom]

At 7 weeks they should be pretty well feathered out. They should be ok as long as there are no drafts. You could put a heat lamp out for then when it gets to be around freezing. I did with mine, but I'm a softie.

 

[LauraM]

My chicks have been outside (with a 125W light) since 4 weeks. Now, I do not need to leave the light on during the day- but I am still turning it on at night for now. We ran an extension cord out- they are in a tractor- so it is certainly not wired and electricity is not permanent. But they have been really active outside during the day, it seems all good, lots of exercise! Lots of flying around and running around. I would at least put them out and see how they are doing during the day. I still have a cardboard box set up with shavings that they seem to huddle in at night. We are in Everett, so the weather is about the same- cold, wet and winter like!!

 

[greengardengirl]

Thanks everyone! I don't have any light (besides the desk lamp, and that's for me) or heat on in this room very much anymore. We have an old drafty house, so it gets down to around 50F in the room at night already. Perhaps I shall give it a try ... at least putting them out during the daytime!? (So nervous about all this.... don't want dead chickens!)