Chicks to young to go outside?

Chicks going outside?

  • Yes they can!

    Votes: 4 100.0%
  • No they are too young!

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Wait one more week!

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    4

MelissaRose

R.I.P. Lissie
6 Years
Apr 15, 2018
1,029
2,364
322
Maine
I have five chicks that will be five weeks old this weekend, are they to young to go outside?They will be staying in a coop that is quite large,can hold twelve chickens.
They will be alone for now but might be joined by some adult silkies soon. I will put them out there today if that's fine, there is an option of running a cord out to the coop so they could have a heat lamp at night.
I have chicks hatching in ten days so they have to be out of the house before then because they are currently in the brooder.
They will not be free ranging they will just be locked in the coop.
They are mostly feathered but they still have down on their heads and bellies,they are Golden laced wyandott,Golden laced wyandott/white rock,EE and Americana.
 
I moved mine out at 5 weeks, no heat source, low temps in 30's and they did fine. They even experienced a hard freeze and then snow in their first week and were unfazed.
 
They'll be fine,I kicked mine out last week same age and same reason lol! Those little nuts are free rangeing with the big chickens never skipped a beat.:)
I moved mine out at 5 weeks, no heat source, low temps in 30's and they did fine. They even experienced a hard freeze and then snow in their first week and were unfazed.
I think I will put them out tomorrow afternoon, I don't think I will put them with my large birds but they will go with soon-to-be-mine silkies because their smaller thanks for answering!
 
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I am also in Maine. My chicks are brooded outside with MHP, and wean themselves off heat completely at 4 - 5 weeks, with night time temps usually in 30's. If your chicks are in your house, they should be off heat completely by the time they are 3 weeks old. Week 4, they should be spending increasingly longer periods outside. Week 5, they can move into coop full time. If you are concerned that they might be cold, give them a huddle box. Beware when you move the silkies in with them. You will need to follow integration procedures. Check @azygous article re: panic room.
 
I am also in Maine. My chicks are brooded outside with MHP, and wean themselves off heat completely at 4 - 5 weeks, with night time temps usually in 30's. If your chicks are in your house, they should be off heat completely by the time they are 3 weeks old. Week 4, they should be spending increasingly longer periods outside. Week 5, they can move into coop full time. If you are concerned that they might be cold, give them a huddle box. Beware when you move the silkies in with them. You will need to follow integration procedures. Check @azygous article re: panic room.
thanks for the great reply I will be careful introducing silkies!
 

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