Cream Legbar Chicks

[kattabelly]

I'm a first timer raising chicks, and I was always told and read that they need to be fully feathers before they can go outside. Although its been in the 70s, and into the mid 80 here is NW Florida. Is there something that I'm missing?

They should be fully feathered much earlier than three months old, and even that is really only necessary if you can't/won't provide either some kind of heat source for them to use if necessary or (for larger groups and/or slightly older chicks) a well-insulated box for them to huddle in to warm up.

 

[thelordsblessing2017]

They should be fully feathered much earlier than three months old, and even that is really only necessary if you can't/won't provide either some kind of heat source for them to use if necessary or (for larger groups and/or slightly older chicks) a well-insulated box for them to huddle in to warm up.

Oh okay, so if I get day old chicks, I keep them inside until fully feathered, and then around 2 months I can put them in the chicken run, separated but then do I still bring them in at night. I nighttime lows are between 52 and 60. I don't have electric out by the chicken coop or run; though we are planning on it soon.

 

[kattabelly]

Oh okay, so if I get day old chicks, I keep them inside until fully feathered, and then around 2 months I can put them in the chicken run, separated but then do I still bring them in at night. I nighttime lows are between 52 and 60. I don't have electric out by the chicken coop or run; though we are planning on it soon.

Personally I'd have no problem with four week old chicks being off heat and outdoors full time in those temperatures, so long as they were able to stay out of the wind and rain and there were more than a few of them to snuggle together and stay warm. Other people might be a bit more cautious but they should definitely be fine to be out full-time by six weeks old if you really want to play it safe.

I would make sure they have a separate space at first that only they can access, to get away from the older chickens once you begin integrating them. Putting them out while they're still young helps here because it's easier to create a "safe room" with a little chick-sized door if they're still much smaller than the older birds.

Edit - personally I also wouldn't keep them inside until they're fully feathered. Even short trips outside will be good for them, if you can manage that with your current set-up.