is 30 days too young to put outside permanently?

[silkiechicken]

I brood mine outside from a few days old with a heat lamp. 6 weeks, out comes they light and they heat themselves... even if it is 35F at night. They do fine. Draft free and huddled up. I just start opening the door to the world at a month or so and they find their way back inside. Chickens don't like to leave what they think is safe .

 

[snoggle]

I'm glad you came to a compromise. I'd try to stick to that until they are at least 6 weeks old.

Granted, chicks are naturally "born outside", but they are also naturally "raised by a mama" outside. Everyone forgets that little detail when they say you are spoiling them. Do they have a mama to keep them warm? I bet the chicks your grandparents raised, in the past, were being raised by a hen. So, since they don't have a hen to "show them the ropes" and keep them warm, it isn't crazy to be a little cautious when it is still early spring and cooler. That being said, you are in a pretty warm area, so they would be fine with a heat lamp at night for a couple of weeks and then without any added heat after that.

Good luck!

 

[ButchGood]

Mine went outside permanently at 3 weeks old. Put them out. They will be happier outside with their feet on some real dirt and grass. you will see a big difference in them.

 

[ButchGood]

Happy, Happy chicks

 

[Desirai]

How should I acclimate them to being without a heat lamp?

Do I just not turn it on? Tonight it's supposed to be 55. Should I leave their lamp off? Right now it's 66 outside as the sun is going down.

 

[Desirai]

My chicken coop is almost habitable! The coop is up, the fence is up. The roof is on. All that remains is to tack the top of the fence to the building to prevent critters from "dropping in", then to build the nesting boxes and perches, and add the chicken ramp to the chicken door! Oh also place bricks around the base of the coop because it's high enough that chickens can get out and cats/weasels can get in.

 

[ButchGood]

Well.... If your not predator proof yet. Do that first. But the temperatures are fine. they can go out now. They will get into a chick pile and keep warm. they would be fine. But I wouldn't put young ones out untill your predator proof.

 

[Apyl]

My chicks have been in the coop since they were 2 1/2 weeks old with the heat lamp. I'm in wisconsin and its been 20's at night . ALL chicks and ducklings are alive and well. The chicks will be 7 weeks old Monday. Your grandparents are correct.

 

[ButchGood]

Here they are this evening. They will be 5 weeks old on Monday. I started taking them out during the day at about 5 days old. Out permanently at 3 weeks old. I hope tonight they all go back into the coop on their own. They have started, but there is always a few stragglers I still have to pick up and put them in. I got 16, 5 weeks ago and I haven't lost one. They are fat, happy and healthy and so is their owner.

 

[Irish6425]

I have 13 five weeks olds and a 2 week old that are all out in the coop w/o a heat lamp. They all pile on top of one another and keep each other warm, we have not lost a single one. The older ones have been out there for a little over a week and the baby was put in last weekend.

Like the previous post, I would not put them out until you have predator proofed the coop. Good luck!