How old should my chicks be to go outside?

[NCGrammie]

I wait until mine are about 12 - 14 weeks before putting them outside.

 

[debid]

Since there are only two of them, their ability to snuggle into a warm chick raft is severely limited. I'd continue to provide a heat lamp until they are fully feathered on heads, backs, and necks. It's not a big deal for them to have bare sides right under the wings since that area is covered well (and is the last to feather). Most chicks are plenty feathered to do without a lamp at 6 weeks, some as early at 4 or 5, some a bit later. You can push it more when there is a larger group to snuggle together but for two, I'd err on the side of more feathers is better.

FWIW, you can put them outdoors at any age (yes, even day-olds) as long as you provide heat, draft protection, and a secure coop. My brooder was outside from the very start in spring when temps were somewhere between 35 and 80 for the duration of their heat lamp stage. The brooder was large enough and ventilated such that the temperature away from the lamp was very near the temp of the outside air but the sides were tall enough that it wasn't breezy inside even when it was windy outside. They all thrived under those conditions.

 

[chook master]

you can put them out at three weeks as long as you put them back in at night. make sure that they have most of there feathers.

 

[coffeenutdesign]

I start transitioning mine outside in a small run as soon as they can' fit through the holes in the run wire and it's warm enough outside to not worry about temperature. I just take them out for a while to give them some fresh air and sunshine and let them pick at some grass. I have to stay with them to also teach my dogs and older chickens to leave them alone.

 

[kschicks2013]

My chicks are 2 weeks old and growing fast. I keep them in a large rabbit cage with an infrared heat lamp. I've been lowering temp by 5 degrees a week. I think it's to cold to let them go out now (50s during day). I'm going to set up a large round pen for them in the garage with a piece of smooth plywood as the flooring with a piece or cardboard on top of that and either paper towels or shavings as cushion. I'll also have the heat lamp on. Do you think that's a good set up for them until they can go outside permanently?

 

[jmayday]

Since there are only two of them, their ability to snuggle into a warm chick raft is severely limited.  I'd continue to provide a heat lamp until they are fully feathered on heads, backs, and necks.  It's not a big deal for them to have bare sides right under the wings since that area is covered well (and is the last to feather).  Most chicks are plenty feathered to do without a lamp at 6 weeks, some as early at 4 or 5, some a bit later.  You can push it more when there is a larger group to snuggle together but for two, I'd err on the side of more feathers is better. 

FWIW, you can put them outdoors at any age (yes, even day-olds) as long as you provide heat, draft protection, and a secure coop.  My brooder was outside from the very start in spring when temps were somewhere between 35 and 80 for the duration of their heat lamp stage.  The brooder was large enough and ventilated such that the temperature away from the lamp was very near the temp of the outside air but the sides were tall enough that it wasn't breezy inside even when it was windy outside.  They all thrived under those conditions.

great info