Chicks outside??

[ashrich6]

I put mine out last night. It's been 80-85 during the day and 60-65 at night here in Salt Lake City. They are about 4 1/2 weeks old and I didn't put any heat lamp in their coop. They have been quite hilarious running around and playing chase.

 

[GrammiChelle]

I never had mine inside. My coop was one I purchased from TSC and quite cozy with a heat lamp in it. I got them mid March, but I do live in Southwest Texas, so it's quite warm, even at night. By the time they were 5 weeks, it was a decision every night whether or not they needed the lamp, thank goodness for the weather app! If a storm happened, I always turned it on, and I did chech on them very frequently the first few weeks, mostly because these are my first chicks ever. But I only lost one, and there was no apparent reason for that loss, it was just lying by the coop door, no sign of harm done to it. They had all been fine a few hours before. That was in the first week though. And since then, I've not lost any.
But I think the answer to this question depends very much on where you live and what time of year it is.

 

[ryandaymude]

I put mine out at 4 weeks

 

[RockyRose]

Any advice from Silkie owners as to putting outside? Mine are almost 4 weeks old and still very small, I'm new to Silkies so it's hard to tell if they are feathered out...and I know they can't regulate their body temps well anyway. I'm in GA, 80-85 during the day, 60 or so at night. Haven't built their outdoor coop yet, still designing it to manage their "special needs"!

 

[smoked chicken]

When can chicks go to a coop with an adult hen? She's at least 8-9 weeks old. Still acts a little wild, trying to get out of the her coop, trying to fly.

 

[TaylorsChicks]

I put my 7 week old chicks out a week ago, and they love it!

 

[nina1marc2]

You have some adorable chicks there. The age is so much fun to watch.

I live in Virginia and I put my girls out at 5weeks old. They needed to get outside. They were going stir crazy. My weather is average 75-95 weather in the summer with night time at 60's-80's. They love to roam during the day in the yard and will wait for me to open the coop to come out every morning. They go in at dusk every night and sleep. They were fully feathered at 5weeks and didn't need the heat lamp. They are now 9 weeks and happy girls.

 

[Phoenixxx]

I put mine outside in the yard every day as of 2-3 days old. I figured in the real world, they'd be out and about with their mama if they had one I'm planning on moving them into the coop with the grownups at just under 4 weeks, maybe sooner. My rooster does check up on the little ones throughout the day and has come running when one makes a distress call, so they're kinda pretty much already integrated into the flock. They already don't seem to care whether or not the heatlamp is on at night, though I turn it on for them anyway as they're only about 8 days old still. And one day earlier this week, the wind had quite an icy bite to it; I gave them a shelter but they didn't use it except for at nap time!

 

[brichie]

I live in Las Cruces, NM and just put my chicks out at 5 weeks old. They are fully feathered and enjoy themselves. It's about 105% for the last three days and their doing fine in the shade. The only thing I worried about is the two older chickens in the coup with them. I solved that by keeping them separated with their food and drink. So far, so good.

 

[Jewellan]

I am putting mine outside Sunday morning. That should give me enough time To patch up a couple of things. I got to hold one of them today without them having a fit so I am excited about that.