Chicks Ready to Move From Brooder?

[RMHiggins]

I have 11 healthy chicks. I received them all at the same time, but two (a new breed to the hatchery) were about 1.5 weeks old. The others were day old chicks. At this point, the two older pullets are about 5 weeks old (maybe 5 weeks and a couple days).

I live in Wisconsin so the nights have been getting cooler. Not cold, but in the mid-upper 50's (F).

My question is: Can I put only these two in the coop or should I wait a week or so until I can put the whole flock of 11 into the coop? The problem is that I didn't plan on two of them being older than the others and the brooder was slightly small for 11 to begin with (15 sq. ft.).

 

[RMHiggins]

To give some more info:

My brooder is in an insulated building, always warm especially with the heat lamp.

My coop is in an old barn built in 1905. I sealed up all the cracks in the foundations, added new floorboards to the above floor, added new siding boards to the outside, and boarded up all but one of the old windows. I also moved about 100 bales of straw to the floor above the coop and was told this will add a lot of insulation.

Also, will straw as bedding help keep the chickens warmer than sand? Sand worked so well in my brooder that I want it in my coop, but it seems straw may be a better alternative for winter in Wisconsin.

 

[RonC]

The younger ones are a bit too small to go outside yet with the temps you are having at night. I would not seperate them to prevent any possible issues reintroducing them. I would move them all to the coop and put a lamp in one corner for additional heat till the younger ones are fully feathered. Just enough warmth they can huddle under the light at night to stay warm. The brooder just doesn't sound large enough.

 

[Alaskan]

The younger ones are a bit too small to go outside yet with the temps you are having at night. I would not seperate them to prevent any possible issues reintroducing them. I would move them all to the coop and put a lamp in one corner for additional heat till the younger ones are fully feathered. Just enough warmth they can huddle under the light at night to stay warm. The brooder just doesn't sound large enough.

I agree...make the coop warm enough so that they can all be moved into the coop together.

 

[RMHiggins]

I agree...make the coop warm enough so that they can all be moved into the coop together.

If I do that can I do it today or will it be best to wait a little bit yet? Everything will be ready after half an hour of work or so, so I could do it before tonight if that is an option.

Thanks for the advice so far!

 

[Alaskan]

No reason why to wait.

They will also have so much more space in the coop, so go ahead and move them over as soon as you have it set up.

 

[dekel18042]

I have nine fast growing two and a half week old chicks in the house with a brooder. I'm wondering if we get a break in this weather if it would be too soon at three weeks to move them into an unheated attached garage with a heat lamp.
If that is too early, when can I do it?

 

[AmericanMom]

I have nine fast growing two and a half week old chicks in the house with a brooder. I'm wondering if we get a break in this weather if it would be too soon at three weeks to move them into an unheated attached garage with a heat lamp.
If that is too early, when can I do it?

Mine go out to the brooder at about that age, My brooder sits outside on the porch, I have the heat lamp for them of course and I have some plyboard that fits over part of the top of the brooder to hold in the heat better but allows them to have fresh air... haven't had problems.. Mine are only in my house for a few days until I make sure they are eating and drinking.