First day outside for the chicks! Couple of question for you folks if youd be so kind to answer for

[NightsInWhiteSilkies]

So today is their first day outside in their coop/runner. There are 4 silkies and their now 9 1/2 weeks old. I put a heat lamp in thier coop area and its on but theyre on the other side of the coop. The coop itself is 4ft x 3ft big. The runner is attached to it so its a walk in style runner which is 5ft by 7ft big.
Their pretty much fully feathered but havent been outside at all. Ive had them outside now for about 4 hours.The temp. theyve had inside was about 70degrees and outside today its probably about 55 degrees so thats why I put a heat lamp out in their coop area for them. They are cuddled up right now on the opposite side of the coop not near the heat lamp at the moment though napping.
My question is would they be okay to stay out there now permanently?

Also their little door is open to wander around the actual runner area but they wont leave the coop at all.
When will they start wandering around?

 

[mommissan]

I think they'll be fine. I bought all my chicks from a farm and they were all 5-8 weeks old and out in their coop. They have the heat lamp in case and they have each other too. Give them time. They will come out when they're ready. It might take a day or two. It sounds like you're doing a great job already!

 

[iluvsedward]

I have two silkie chicks in the coop now with no heat lamp(NOT MY FAULT IT WENT OUT AND I CANT FIX IT!!) its pretty cold but I have them with other chickens

 

[Happy Chooks]

Chicks that are 9 1/2 weeks don't need a heat lamp. As long as there's not a drastic change in temperature (like 80 degrees to 30 degrees) they will be fine. It will take a few days for them to adjust to their new surroundings and venture outside. Remember, chickens don't like change!

 

[NightsInWhiteSilkies]

Their out there sleeping!
I just checked on them a bit ago and they were all bundled up not even near the heat lamp so tomorrow night Im not going to plug it in.
Yaaa~

.

 

[NightsInWhiteSilkies]

Oh ya I forgot to mention that a few times I would open the coop door from the outside of it and take them out and put them in the runner area for a few minutes and then I would pick them up and put them on the laddier half way up and kind of nudge them gently up the stairs to their coop and did this a few times with each one, I then put all 4 of them on the ground of the runner and they walked around in a small area of it and pecked around. I also put a food and water dish down there so they started eating in that area and would wander around just in that area.
I was working and doing some yard work and noticed that one of them started walking up the laddier and then 2 others followed suit but the last one I picked her up and put her half way on the ladder and gently nudged her up to the top to walk into the coop area and they stayed in the rest of the evening as it was starting to turn a little dark out. I smiled watching them in action.

 

[silkiechicken]

Looks like they are adjusting!

It can take a few days for them to figure out the whole idea of going in and out of the coop portion of their coop+run. As for heat, they can probably get away without it. By 9 weeks my spring silkies would have been lamp free and freely wandering the world attempting not to get eaten by things like hawks.

 

[NightsInWhiteSilkies]

Im lonely without them inside the house! My babies grew up way to fast and now Im wanting some more little chickies inside but I can only have 3 so Im having withdrawals of them and theyre outside now!
I know i cant be alone in this detaching syndrome of my babies?!!!

 

[Happy Chooks]

Yep, they grow up too fast but yet take forever to lay an egg. That's why hatching is addictive, you always want the babies.

 

[dwegg]

my 10 silkies (9wks) spent their first night out in the big coop with 9 older silkies and they were all happy this morning...I did have to go and gently push their little butts into the coop when it got dark as they were all huddled next to the door to the run...I also have a little heat lamp out there for them all...it's more a night light than anything else...i will have to ween them off that I supose...I also miss having them in the garage and picking them up all the time...

oh but wait...that's why I have 24 more in the bator right now!!!!