Coop Readiness - How soon can chicks go out in a coop?

[Smithychickens]

I have 4 that are 5 weeks and 4 that are 2 weeks. It now stays in the mid to low 80’s during the day and doesn’t drop below 60 over night. My 5 week chicks have now been out in the coop and run for about 4 days (alone) and are happy and healthy. My littles, I bring out during the day but they will be placed back in the brooder in the evening for a couple more weeks. The sun is shinning pretty bright right now and they are all roaming in the shadier part of the run. Later this weekend they are calling for rain so they will ALL be confined to the brooder in the garage With the lamp only on one side. I’m not really wanting to chance the rain and wind. Good luck! ✌

 

[NNYchick]

I move mine out at a week old with with diy brooder plate made from heating pad to a sectioned off area of my coop. We’ve had nights below freezing but with heating pad they do well. I have found this the best way to integrate them to flock. By 3 weeks old they are spending most of the day out in coop with flock going back to their area to warm up or nap. This has worked great for me and them, I’m not dealing with a stinky dusty brooder in the house and they get space and learn from the flock how to be chickens. This is my setup the chicks can get in between the bars but my older chickens can’t, I have Silkies so they don’t fly so I don’t need a top.

 

[mshaymez]

Thank you all for the awesome replies!!!! I'm new to the chick community and this was a question I had and I think I've found my answer.

 

[SherylTingley]

I'm sure I still have a few weeks to go, but my 7 pullets are currently 4 weeks old. They are getting louder, messier and stinkier and the giant Rubbermaid bin seems to be shrinking daily. I know they will be happier to have more space, but I feel like they're still too small to be put outside in the coop. They've just reached the point where they're comfortable at about 75ish degrees, which I can maintain inside my garage with a brooder light, but my brooder is not very big. Is coop readiness determined by age, size, weather? What are the best guidelines?

Mine are 4 weeks old and I took them out to the heated coop this morning. It's about 72 to 75 degrees. I keep the small windows closed at night but--weather permitting--slightly open them during the day. The coop has a cupola on the roof that allows some air to circulate. They seem very happy to have more room and perches to get on. I will keep them there for a couple of weeks before letting them go into the run. And then a couple more before letting them in the backyard.