How long should my chicks be in a brooder

[Trodore]

I bought 8 Lavender Orphintons from a guy that said they are ready to go outside. I live in mid-michigan and we are getting some cold nights at the moment. Tonight's low is going to be 48, but then we are back in the 80's for highs and 60's for lows. Should they be under a heal lamp on nights like this? This morning when I took them to the coop, they were really puffed out.

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

How old are they?

If theyre fully feathered, I'd kick them out. Since there are 8 of them, they can snuggle to keep warm if they need to. I have 3 week old chicks running around my unheated, intermediate brooder. They've been in there since they were 2 weeks old. Its been brutally hot here, but we've had a couple of weird days and nights that were cool and they've been perfectly happy in there

 

[Trodore]

Thank you very much. They are my wife's chicken and "Mama" hen is being over protective. I bought 7, 3 month old chickens(5 hens and 2 roosters) 2 weeks ago to start, then this weekend I bought 1 month old chicks. Of course there is pecking going on, but she is worried. I built a very large "Summer" home out of pallets, chicken wire, and a tarp so that I had room for them, and she decided to take them to the garage to a dog pin we have a night because she does not want the picked on. I did not want her worrying about them to tonight and wanting them in our bedroom .