Going outside?

[kada6305]

at what age can a chick go outside? I am hatching out chicks and I know they usually feather out 8-10 weeks. But in 10 weeks we will be in December, will they be able to handle that weather at 10 weeks if feathered out? Of course heat lamp if below freezing. I live in Pennsylvania. I can't remember at what age I let my chicks out when I got them, but I also had them in the spring so had warmer weather. How cold is too cold at 10 weeks.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Keep in mind that a mother hen takes them outside from about 2 or 3 days of age regardless of outside temperature. She can't heat all the ambient air. She provides a hot spot so the chicks can warm themselves and then they run out into the cool air. You do the same with a heat lamp and lots of cool space.
They aren't that fragile.






And fully feathered comes way before 10 weeks.

 

[kada6305]

I have some of my mixes and then silkies. I've heard silkies take longer to feather out. We are still building the coop, its pretty much dont just needs connected. The run shouldn't take more than a week to build. We have a 6x6 coop. the run will be 8x18. I am hoping to get 8 chicks to hatch out so they can keep each other warm as well. I'll start letting them out during the day after the coop/run are built then give them a heat lamp and around 8 weeks or so let them out during the nights. Hopefully this works. I just wasn't sure, it's been 2 years since i've had chicks.