I'm ready for the pep talk (moving chicks out to the coop)

[Collieoftheborder]

My 36 chicks will be 3 weeks old tomorrow. They've been in the garage in a large wooden brooder box and the lows in there are from 59*-64*. The coop is much colder, this morning it is 39* inside of the coop which is the outside temp. **The brooder plate is rated for 50* and up! This is my biggest issue** The lows this week are 45-35 with a drop next Sunday of 29. Highs are really good at mostly mid 60s or higher. The chicks have done quite well in the garage and run around a lot but even with it being 59 in there I am surpised how much time they spend on and under the brooder plate. I will be moving the brooder box out as it is for at least a few days before they have full run of the coop. They huddle at night to sleep mostly and not really under the brooder plate although they can all fit under there together.

Coop is draft free, ventilation is all up high. They are protected from predators out there too. Should I maybe get a radiant coop heater for them to use these next couple of weeks while they feather up more? I don't want to coddle them, I want resiliant tough chickens. But I don't want to be harsh either. What would you do? I'm really tired of them being in the garage.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

How feathered out are they? I would start the day time excursions for an hour a day building up to a whole day by the end of the week and then kick them out. If they aren’t feathered out and they’re spending a lot of time by the heater they will need time to feather out. Getting them outside should hasten this process. I don’t know if “cold-hardening” feathers is an old wives’ tale but I feel like it has worked for me to get the chicks out of the brooder earlier. You can also start turning the heater off during the day in the garage.

 

[Penpal]

It won't hurt them to stay inside longer. Putting them out early does not make them feather out faster.

I would put them out when the temps are above 50*F. Bring them in when the temp drops, also bring them in at night.

My chicks are six weeks old and I'm still cautious as to how long they are allowed outside.

 

[My1stChickens]

at 3 weeks those nighttime temps might be tough.... they are still seeking heat at 59 degrees so no telling how hard those lower temperatures would be on them. You could let them out during the day, but it could be a PITA to bring them back in for the nights. If it was me, I'd leave them in a big longer rather than risk them having a set back from not being warm enough.

 

[Collieoftheborder]

How feathered out are they? I would start the day time excursions for an hour a day building up to a whole day by the end of the week and then kick them out. If they aren’t feathered out and they’re spending a lot of time by the heater they will need time to feather out. Getting them outside should hasten this process. I don’t know if “cold-hardening” feathers is an old wives’ tale but I feel like it has worked for me to get the chicks out of the brooder earlier. You can also start turning the heater off during the day in the garage.

Their wings and backs are fully feathered. Their chests are about 1/3 to 2/3 feathered and their tails are about 1-2 inches long. Their bellys and heads are all fluff. Does this seem more or less feathered than yours are typically?

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

Their wings and backs are fully feathered. Their chests are about 1/3 to 2/3 feathered and their tails are about 1-2 inches long. Their bellys and heads are all fluff. Does this seem more or less feathered than yours are typically?

With that much feathering I would be comfortable putting them outside for a couple hours the first day, four the next, etc and just seeing how it goes. If they huddle together, bring them back in to warm up.

 

[Collieoftheborder]

at 3 weeks those nighttime temps might be tough.... they are still seeking heat at 59 degrees so no telling how hard those lower temperatures would be on them. You could let them out during the day, but it could be a PITA to bring them back in for the nights. If it was me, I'd leave them in a big longer rather than risk them having a set back from not being warm enough.

Yeah I honestly do not know how to even transport them in and out. They are hard to catch anyways and catching them all and putting them into something to then take them somewhere and back... I don't even know how I'll get them to the coop once let alone daily or when we get a colder night lol I do have a small dog kennel that I think I could use but that would still be a big ordeal. I can't even reach across the brooder to get them when they run away.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

Do you have a picture of your coop and run? So many things with chickens are not one-size-fits-all so seeing your setup might help us figure out an easy way for you to do things

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

You might have to wean them off indoor heat before moving them outside and then just do it once permanently