Do you have to wait for fully feathered chicks to move them outside?

[ThinkingChickens]

I live in CA, the mountains. Today it was 80-90 and the baby chicks (now four weeks) hung out outside in a pen with a cover. Well, now they are back in the garage with the window open but the garage is hot. I'm not using a heat lamp as they don't need it. What night temps are high enough that I should just move the girls outside? Seems they'd be more comfortable outside than in the garage, but maybe not. I don't have a thermometer but I'd guess it's 85 in the garage right now.

 

[Wildflower_VA]

They can go out and stay out, as long as they have cover/shade to protect them from the sun until they are fully feathered. They can sunburn. Make sure to always have plenty of cold water. More chicks die from too much heat than they do from cold.

 

[Happy Chooks]

No, you don't need to wait until they are completely feathered. Mine are outside from a very young age. (even in winter) Make sure they have lots of water and shade in this hot weather. Unless we have a drastic cool down (which isn't in the forecast), they'll be fine without the lamp at night at 4 weeks.

 

[ThinkingChickens]

Okay great! I'll try them out in the garage tonight with no lamp. I sure hope our outdoor coop gets here soon otherwise they'll be in a dog crate outside at night until the second coop is here. Ha ha. Of course, the dog crate is pretty darn spacious for baby chicks.

 

[cmom]

I put a heat lamp on in their coop at night. It has been in the mid 90's here daily for quite awhile.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Quote:
I would not put them outside at night in a dog crate, predators will help themselves. Wait until you get your coop.

 

[Tala]

Quote:
I would not put them outside at night in a dog crate, predators will help themselves. Wait until you get your coop.

Alternately cover the dog crate in hardware cloth to keep preds from reaching in. I actually had a mean roo in a dog crate with only chicken wire around the bottom 2ft, and he was safe until I moved him to the "safer" pen --- raccoon got him the first night coz he was sleeping on the floor next to the fence instead of on the roost that is protected from raccoons

 

[ThinkingChickens]

This is a hard sided plastic dog crate with only the front having bars and the top of the sides has steel in a small gauge like hardware cloth. We have a backyard so there haven't been any predators to speak of. Still though I guess we're going to try and keep bringing the babies in at night (there are just three). The bad part is the coop is back ordered until late July. So, we're going to eventually have to go temporary. Ugh, I hate waiting. LOL

 

[BoltonChicken]

As long as the night time temps don't fall much below 50 degrees the little dudettes will be fine outside. Daytime temps
in the 90's are fine too, as long as they have shade, water, dirt to scratch in, and a good hardware cloth fence to keep out
local cats, dogs, hawks, etc.

 

[ThinkingChickens]

Thanks guys! I'll check the forecast and make sure they have a nice secure yard. They have our under deck for very good shade. I've got an x pen with a cover half under the deck and half out. The bigger chickens can walk around and check things out. The little ones don't seem afraid of them so that's good.