Going from brooder to coop?

[KatAnn]

My chicks turned 4 weeks on wed I would like to have them out in there coop next weekend which will bring them to be a little over 5 weeks the coop and large run area is all set up for them including netting over the top to protect against Hawks. They are mostly fully feathered except one. Is a heat lamp still needed? I'm sure he'll have more by then but I don't think he will have all his feathers.

 

[nszrmch]

I try and avoid heat lamps in the coop because of the fire hazard it poses.. that said I've done it in the past with no problems. This year I'm going to try the MHP method @Blooie shared on her page a few years back. Better simulates warmth from momma hen, helps chicks acclimate to day vs night, and even might help them feather out faster, plus a whole bunch more benefits.
Plus there's lots of really helpful threads on this website that helped me figure out what I wanted to do with my chicks this year!! Best of luck

 

[Melany09]

Yes a heat lamp is still needed until they are 8wks old, after that for them to acclimate to the weather only put it on at night for a week. That's what I'm doing with my chicks and it is working .

 

[CatsandCrops]

Chicks do not need heat once they are fully feathered - they know how to avoid or stay warm prior to that too, my chicks hated heat and never went under their heat lamp after the first few days. I had my chicks off of a heat lamp and at ambient room temp of about 60-65 by week 4. All of my chicks are barred rocks and were living full time outside at week 5 where we're 50s during the day and low 40s at night (it snowed over the weekend and they were running around pecking snowflakes).

 

[KatAnn]

Thank you all this has been very helpful