Is it too soon to move chicks out?

[BoCRon]

I have a total of 11 chicks. The oldest are 4 weeks, the youngest are 2 weeks. Currently they are housed in my garage(which is heated, not as warm as a house but not unheated). They are in a wire dog crate that we covered with cardboard to keep heat and shavings in. They are getting pretty big and we feel like they need more space. We were considering moving them out onto the ground level screened porch. Setting up a dog exercise pen around the crate. Leave the heater unit in the crate and secure the crate door open. Then put the feeder and waterer out in the exercise pen with shavings as the floor is concrete. I‘m open to suggestions!
This is the weather forecast.

 

[noregerts]

Your plan sounds good. I’m sure they do need more space at this point. On the screened porch, they will go in under the light for warmth and be able to go out into the play area and be happy. They’re going to outgrow that setup though in another few weeks. Do you have a plan for thre next step?

 

[fishin_dad]

I would say as long as you can keep the crate temp around 85 degrees and keep them dry then there shouldn't be a problem

 

[Morrigan]

As long as they have a warm spot to retreat to when they are cold, they will be fine, and it is a good idea to give them more space and start acclimating them to cooler weather.

As a point of reference, I've brooded my last two groups of chicks from day 1 in an outside rabbit hutch that I put insulation around. They had a heating plate to go under. The outside temperatures were down in the 30s at night, and in the 40s inside the brooder (obviously a lot warmer under the brooding plate itself). The did great and feathered out quickly. I was surprised at how little they used the brooding plate in the daytime hours, even when it was quite chilly out.

 

[igorsMistress]

As long as you provide a warm spot for them to hang out in if they get cold now is fine. You don't want the entire space heated, they need to get used to different temps. My chicks have been outside since they were 5 days old, I usually do it at 3 days but I was slacking, with similar temps to what you're having.

 

[BoCRon]

Ok, y’all have reassured me. It’s been so long since I bought chicks. I had broody hens that I let raise chicks so I lost all my chick knowledge lol!

For the next step I have a 10x20 dog pen that I’m converting to a chicken run. I have a Snaplock coop that I will be putting up in a stand. Currently I have 2 adult hens using it.