How old or big do chicks have to be to be put outside in a pen?

[waco76]

My chicks are between 4 and 5 weeks old. I have them in a big tub ( 6 feet by 3 feet and 32 inch deep) I have 8 of them. My coop is done but the fencing will not be done for another week. I have no where for the chick to run free. I read some post where some have been put out after 3 weeks or so. Will it hurt the chicks to stay in the tub for another week ? We clean the tub once a day. It is the first time I have had anything beside a dog. Any and all advice is more than welcome.

 

[Jkioneil]

i dont put mine out into the pen full time until they are fully feathered. then i know they will be fine with any weather. My last chicks went our at about 8 weeks. after the dinosaur phase is over and they look more like the ladies then the pullets

so no it will not hurt them to stay in teh tub even a few more weeks

 

[bturbo87]

im down here in south GA where its been in the low 90 during the day and low 70 at night i waited until 5 weeks but most of mine feathered out rather quickly... the whole fully feathered thing ive come to realize is rather relative to the bird. My understanding is that a chickens lung are located very close to their backs, between the wings, so at the least wait until that area is well feathered because if not they run a high chance of respitory infections

 

[noodleroo]

Well, I'm in south Texas, its hot here and I put mine out at 9 days old. They are 3 weeks old now and doing great. I probably get to be the exception because of where I live, but they seem to really like it outside.

 

[felidaet]

I put mine in the coop at about 5 - 6 weeks old. I have a heat lamp in the coop that I use at night. I keep them in the coop for at least a week before opening the door to the run. I am still using the heat lamp at night because the younger ones are about 6 weeks old and not quite fully feathered. Our night temperatures are still getting down to 45 - 50 degrees. Hopefully we will get some warmer weather soon.