How old (size) do young birds have to be to be contained in Permanet Plus/

[henceforth]

I have birds that are now 4 weeks old and getting big for the brooder box I have them in. When can I transfer them into their Permanet Plus fence?

 

[fiddlebanshee]

I have birds that are now 4 weeks old and getting big for the brooder box I have them in. When can I transfer them into their Permanet Plus fence?

It depends. Do they have an enclosure like a coop or a henhouse where they can spend the night? How warm/cold is it at night? 4 weeks is a bit young, they're not completely feathered out yet and have no defenses if something goes after them. I would wait until at least 6-8 weeks. You might have to find some other temp box to put them in.

 

[henceforth]

fiddlebanshee,

Yes I do have a little coop house for them, but we decided this mornign to build a smaller chicken wire enclosure inside the electric fence with a covering of chicken wire to prevent the birds from flying out at night. It has been 90s during the day and hight 60's at night and they are doing well with no heat lamp, but it is New England, so the temperature could easily be 60s during day and low 40s at night tomorrow.

Then I would give them the heat lamp.

 

[fiddlebanshee]

Why not put them in the coop at night? Can you rig up the enclosure that you have to the little coop so that they can come and go as they please?

I wouldn't be comfortable having them only in a chickenwire (doesn't keep any predator out, just the chickens in) enclosure in an electric fence. Raccoons and such can easily jump the fence. For my it's a matter of safety not temperatures.