LIBERTY FOR MY CHICKS

[hsj07]

My chicks are 5 weeks old today. Their chicken coop is a building with wood floors covered by industrial rubber matts. They have a heat lamp, a brooder heater and a regular heater run by thermostat. It has been in the high 40's at night. They go in their run for an hour at the time when it is at least 75 degrees. We do this about 3 times each day when possible. They will always live in their house and be closed in at night. The run is very secure and about 12x20. I always stay with them in the run. When can I let them go freely from the house to the run?

 

[sourland]

If the run is covered, they can be let out now. If it is uncovered there always will be the possibility of danger. Right now they are vulnerable even to the smallest hawks.

 

[Chicalina]

I would just open the door now and leave it open, assuming they are fully feathered out. They can come and go when they like to warm up

 

[Chicalina]

on the basis you said the run is secure

 

[AntiqueB]

Mine were going out on daily supervised free-ranging by 2 weeks (this was with temps in the 80s), gradually getting longer times out there, and that was only because I worried about hawks and escaping. They've been unsupervised since they were about 8 weeks (half my yard is shrub and other cover). If I had had a predator-proof run, they would have been allowed to go in and out freely by 4 weeks!

 

[hsj07]

If the run is covered, they can be let out now. If it is uncovered there always will be the possibility of danger. Right now they are vulnerable even to the smallest hawks.

 

[hsj07]

My run has hardware cloth and a tin roof. Very secure.

 

[Chicalina]

My run has hardware cloth and a tin roof. Very secure.

Time to let the kids out to play then!!

 

[imnukensc]

Let the birds come and go as they please from the coop to run. No need to babysit them and they don't need any heat, either.

 

[rosemarythyme]

No need to babysit them and they don't need any heat, either.

x2. This: They have a heat lamp, a brooder heater and a regular heater run by thermostat. It has been in the high 40's at night. is unnecessary. Unless they aren't in good health or are breeds like Silkies that don't grow good down coats, they should be completely off heat at this age.

Since you have them in this very regulated heat environment you'll need to wean them off heat rather than simply shutting it all off, to get them used to the temperature difference.