chicks outdoors

[chickiebaby]

my three week olds are getting pretty tired of their indoor box . Meanwhile, my big chickens are moving to a new house and the old one will be all cleaned out by Sunday for the new little ones. he question: I know that 3 1/2 week old chicks can't live outside when its still dropping down into the 30's a night. But at what temp can I move them outside, even assuming they'll continue to feather out more and more? They will have a good strong bulb out there, and our grown chickens have been fine in the single digits. Can these little girls go out when it's still in the 40's at night?

love from western massachusetts

 

[4-H chicken mom]

Where ever you keep your chicks, they still need to be about 80 degrees for 3 week old babies or you could run into all sorts of health problems.

 

[chickiebaby]

I know they can't go out now! But I've never started them this early in the spring, so the question is what do night temperatures have to be for, say, a five week old? Or a six week old? Seven week old? etc. I'm looking for a the sweet spot in time when they'll be ready.

Dont worry - they're still safe under heat lamps. tx.

 

[silkiechicken]

It snowed last week and I had already kicked out my not quite two week old chicks. I have two 100W bulbs in their little 4x4 brooder house and they are doing fine.

 

[4-H chicken mom]

Most follow the general rule about starting out at 95 degrees and dropping 5 degrees per week. I have 9 week old chicks that are in the barn now and they still have a heat lamp on them so it is around 50-55 degrees because we still get nights in the 30's.

 

[momma's chickens]

It is still dropping down into the 30s here at night and my baby chicks have been outside for 2 weeks. There are now 2 1/2 weeks and 4 1/2 weeks old. I kicked the second batch of babies out of the house extremely early. They have two heat lamps out there and they are doing great.

I just combined the two different age groups yesterday and have been watching for all sorts of issues but everybody is happy.