Going from Brooder to Ourside

[MDBird]

My group of chicks will be 4 weeks old this week and I am hoping to move them outside. The temps right now are about 65f day and 45f night. Am I able to just move them from inside to outside or do I need to move them outside gradually like during the day and then take in at night. Thank you for your help

 

[Nabiki]

45 is a little cold for 4 week olds. As long as they have shelter (especially to keep their feet warm) and are dry, they should be able to handle those temps just fine at around 6 weeks when they're fully feathered.

 

[CluckerFamily]

You can put them outside. Put the heat lamp in the coop. You may want to keep them locked in the coop before allowing them to go into the run. That way they know the coop is safe and where they should sleep.

 

[Nabiki]

You can put them outside. Put the heat lamp in the coop. You may want to keep them locked in the coop before allowing them to go into the run. That way they know the coop is safe and where they should sleep.

Quail don't really work like that. They bed down wherever they feel like it. They'll seek shelter from the weather if it gets really bad, but they don't have the "go home" instinct that chickens have.

 

[CluckerFamily]

Quail don't really work like that. They bed down wherever they feel like it. They'll seek shelter from the weather if it gets really bad, but they don't have the "go home" instinct that chickens have.

I am so sorry, I didn’t catch on that they were quail. Sorry!!

 

[MDBird]

Ok thank you, I thought they were fully feathered at 4 weeks. Looking at these guys I was wondering how that was going to happen lol. Sounds like basically keep an eye on them and when they have all their feathers they are ready to go out, which is closer to 6 weeks. I am assuming this is the case whenever it's a little chilly where as in summer then can go out earlier?

 

[Nabiki]

Ok thank you, I thought they were fully feathered at 4 weeks. Looking at these guys I was wondering how that was going to happen lol. Sounds like basically keep an eye on them and when they have all their feathers they are ready to go out, which is closer to 6 weeks. I am assuming this is the case whenever it's a little chilly where as in summer then can go out earlier?

Pretty much. I'll kick my chicks out as early as 3 weeks old during the summer.