How long do they need the brooder?

[supercoop chick]

hi,
We are new chicken parents. We have six bantam babies and two standard chickens...as of yet we have no idea what most of them are. I posted pics on the gender and breed forum but no luck. They are now 5 1/2 weeks old. We have been having unseasonably cool weather here(not that I am complaining!!!). Now in not sure when I can move them outside. Even in the house in the brooder they complain loudly if I turn off their heat light. I have moved it way above the brooder but they still seem to need a little extra heat. They are fast outgrowing their digs. I was hoping they could go out to their brand new coop soon (if not in the run). Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

 

[Julia62]

Are they fully feathered yet? And what is "cooler" for you?

I moved mine out at 6.5 weeks old with lows at night ranging around 40-45. No heat at all in the coop. They are just fine!

Another thing I did to acclimate them, was to turn off their heat completely during daytime hours in the brooder (my brooder was in my house) at about 5 weeks old. Then I turned it off completely about a week before they went outside.

 

[Ackchickens]

My chicks are 5.5 weeks old too and are not fully feathered. We are 60-70 in the day and we move them outside to their run all day, but bring them in at night. I want to turn off the lamp at night for a while to get them used to the temp, and the dark. It's been in the mid 40s at night. Can they go outside in the next week if they are not fully feathered?

 

[supercoop chick]

They are fully feathered. Our temps have ranged from the 90's to the 40's and everything in between. Also we have been having tons of rain. Should I be worried about the moisture and very high humidity? I think my guys may already be spoiled

 

[curious chickee]

Mine were outside at 3-4 weeks old without heat lamp, high 70 low 45-55. They just snuggled together at night. My 5 day old chicks are outside in a small coop inside the run with a heat lamp.

 

[mymilliefleur]

I also take my chicks out of the brooder around 3-4 weeks. They are usually fully feathered by than, and I have never had any problems with them getting chilled. Good luck with your flock!

 

[tsmith91]

You can move them to the coop anytime if they are outgrowing the brooder put the light in the coop if you feel they still need it a lot of people use the coop as a brooder