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

[Collieoftheborder]

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

A few bits and pieces sitting around that I'm cleaning up right now and need to sweep and set up bedding etc still but doing that today.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

I would just run an extension cord out to the coop and throw the whole brooder out there!

 

[Ridgerunner]

Personally I'd feel uncomfortable leaving chicks out in those low temperatures at barely 3 weeks. Chickens trap tiny air pockets in their down. Air is a horrible conductor of heat so those tiny air pockets insulate the bird, holding in body heat. Baby chicks do that with their down, slightly older chicks and chickens do that with their feathers. If you look at the anatomy of a feather, it is fluffy down near their body and much stiffer higher up. The down traps the air, the stiffer part deflects any wind so the down doesn't get ruffled and lose those tiny insulating pockets of air.

So while baby chicks can keep themselves warm with just their down, it does not take much for that down to get ruffled. In certain conditions they can stay warm enough if fairly cold conditions. I don't want to take that chance until feathers come in. It's too delicate of a balance for me to want to risk it. Call me a wimp for not wanting to take unnecessary risks.

Most chicks are feathered in at 4 weeks, some may take a tad longer. You can get an argument on practically anything on here, such as whether colder temperatures help them feather in faster. I think it helps but that is just my opinion. I also strongly believe they can acclimatize. Again that is just my opinion but I do think the more they are exposed to cold weather the better they can handle it.

If the heat is available to them and they know it is there, if they stop using it they don't need it.

If you safely can, I support the idea of moving the heat plate out there. I understand it is rated for 50 F and up but at their age and your conditions I'd think they would be OK. If you can move the brooder box out there and keep them in it for a couple of days they will learn where that heat plate is if they need it. After a couple of days open up the brooder box or remove it but leave the heat plate until you are comfortable they do not need it.

Good luck!