How old do Chicks need to be going outside in the coop?

[MommaHen77]

I have 8 weeks old Chicks that I think are ready to go out in the coop.

 

[Mister B]

I let my 4 week old chicks out for an hour or so a couple days ago. It rained yesterday and its cold today, but I will probably let them out again tomorrow. Under supervision. There are no adult chickens around.

 

[Northern nurse]

I would imagine that your chicks are well feathered by now so they should be fine going out to the coop. I put mine out there at 4 weeks and left a heat lamp on for them while the weather was still cool. I live in northern maine and our nights are still dropping into the low 40’s at night 60’s during the day. Mine are 6 weeks now and enjoying their coop and run very much. (I was quite happy to get them out of the house lol!)

 

[sharihern]

Mine are just about 8 weeks and I am so ready to have them outside. I read and heard that at 8 weeks they should be good to sleep outside as long at the weather doesn't get very cold. I'm not sure on that, so don't quote me on that. I'm still trying to figure that out for mine.

 

[Jewellan]

Mine are only 2 weeks old. The temperature outside is almost 90 during the day. I have been turning the heat lamp off during the day and not turning it back on until well into the night, as my brooder is in the kitchen of my house. The chicks seem to do well even if the temp "Dips" to 80. Am I alright to allow this? How soon is too soon to turn the lamp off altogether? The night temps stay in the fifties

 

[MommaHen77]

My chicks are have all their feathers on them now and the low for tonight will be 54 Dregees I don't have the heat lamp out there but the coop they are in is pretty warm and I kept my chicks in their brooder box in the coop.

 

[donrae]

8 week old chicks will be fine outside pretty much anywhere in the continental US this time of year.

I have 2 week old silkies and 1 week old chicks out with a broody. Not sure how warm it was today, probably 70-80 range. The chicks were out from under momma the vast majority of the day.

 

[Jewellan]

I heard that I could put them outside at 5 weeks old in summer time temps as longs the night time low is not below 40 .

 

[zoey87]

I have two 5 week olds out in the coop here in northern Ohio. Had to put the heat lamp out there with them because the temperature decided to drop and it's only 40 at night. I check on them frequently and they seem to be fine.

 

[debid]

They're ready! I don't brood indoors at all so it's pretty easy to just remove the light when they stop sleeping under it. I was shutting it off on sunny days and only using it at night much younger but they were altogether finished and sleeping on the roost around six weeks. And these were early spring chicks so it was barely past last frost. They don't need nearly as much heat and babying as newbies tend to think.