Motley Crue is getting evicted from their hotel room this weekend!

[RebelEgger]

It's time for these rambunctious brats to go outside! My chicks will be 5 weeks old on Sunday, they are rapidly outgrowing their brooder box, they need room to stretch, so out to their new coop they go! I will be putting the Titan Incubator Heat plate in the coop for them, just in case they still need a little extra warmth. Our temps are in the very low double digits at night. I will have shavings as bedding for them. Water, food and grit. I have seen it's best to keep them in the coop for a few days before letting them out into the run so they learn where home is - Whats the general consensus on this? Is there anything else I need to have out there for them? I'm nervous for them to be out there where I can't keep my eye on them (since these are our first babies) but good lord they gots to go!

 

[LilyS]

It's time for these rambunctious brats to go outside! My chicks will be 5 weeks old on Sunday, they are rapidly outgrowing their brooder box, they need room to stretch, so out to their new coop they go! I will be putting the Titan Incubator Heat plate in the coop for them, just in case they still need a little extra warmth. Our temps are in the very low double digits at night. I will have shavings as bedding for them. Water, food and grit. I have seen it's best to keep them in the coop for a few days before letting them out into the run so they learn where home is - Whats the general consensus on this? Is there anything else I need to have out there for them? I'm nervous for them to be out there where I can't keep my eye on them (since these are our first babies) but good lord they gots to go!

We put ours out at 5 weeks and they were fine. I let them out at noon and they put themselves in bed at night. All i have to do is go close their little door on the coop. It's like they know they don't want to be out wondering the streets after hours

 

[Ridgerunner]

I've had chicks 5-1/2 weeks old go through nights in the mid 20's Fahrenheit with no heat, not sure if you low double digits is F or C. But as long as you can safely install that heat plate in the coop it won't hurt. any time you are fooling with electricity be careful of fire and shock potential.

I have seen it's best to keep them in the coop for a few days before letting them out into the run so they learn where home is - Whats the general consensus on this?

The main reason you read this is so the chickens return inside the coop at night instead of wanting to sleep out in the run. In my experience that doesn't always work, I still often have to go out at dark to toss them inside the coop until they get that message. But sometimes it works.

For you I'd suggest it for a different reason. I don't know what your daytime weather is like this time of the year. Your coop is going to provide better protection from the weather than the run, rain as well as temperature. And your coop is hopefully bigger than the brooder, they should enjoy that. So give them a week or so to acclimate themselves to being out there.

Is there anything else I need to have out there for them?

What they need is food, clean water, protection from the environment, and protection from predators. That's all they need. I don't think yours actually need any additional warmth. Some people may provide other things but that's more personal preference than something the chicks need.

 

[RebelEgger]

I've had chicks 5-1/2 weeks old go through nights in the mid 20's Fahrenheit with no heat, not sure if you low double digits is F or C. But as long as you can safely install that heat plate in the coop it won't hurt. any time you are fooling with electricity be careful of fire and shock potential.

I have seen it's best to keep them in the coop for a few days before letting them out into the run so they learn where home is - Whats the general consensus on this?

The main reason you read this is so the chickens return inside the coop at night instead of wanting to sleep out in the run. In my experience that doesn't always work, I still often have to go out at dark to toss them inside the coop until they get that message. But sometimes it works.

For you I'd suggest it for a different reason. I don't know what your daytime weather is like this time of the year. Your coop is going to provide better protection from the weather than the run, rain as well as temperature. And your coop is hopefully bigger than the brooder, they should enjoy that. So give them a week or so to acclimate themselves to being out there.

Is there anything else I need to have out there for them?

What they need is food, clean water, protection from the environment, and protection from predators. That's all they need. I don't think yours actually need any additional warmth. Some people may provide other things but that's more personal preference than something the chicks need.

Thanks Ridgerunner, I will be constantly checking the heat plate for sure and it (and chicks) will be very protected from elements.
a week to acclimate! Oh wow, I didn’t realize it was that long, thanks for the info. Will it still be ok to let them in the own for a little stretch if I am with them? Or just leave them locked up? I have been bringing them outside for field trips already, but in a much smaller pen.
Our temps are in Celsius, so for example last week we were up the mid 20’s, today it’s 15.

 

[Ridgerunner]

At those temperatures they do not need any heat. It won't hurt to offer it but they don't need it. They really don't need to acclimate, that's plenty warm for a five-week old chicken. At the time I wasn't sure of your temperatures, C or F. I did not know you were already taking them out. That's new information.

I don't know that it will help them but it won't hurt them to be locked in the coop for a while. And you said you are nervous. Part of my thought process was that you might be less nervous if they are secured in the coop for a few days, until you get acclimated to them being out there.

 

[RebelEgger]

At those temperatures they do not need any heat. It won't hurt to offer it but they don't need it. They really don't need to acclimate, that's plenty warm for a five-week old chicken. At the time I wasn't sure of your temperatures, C or F. I did not know you were already taking them out. That's new information.

I don't know that it will help them but it won't hurt them to be locked in the coop for a while. And you said you are nervous. Part of my thought process was that you might be less nervous if they are secured in the coop for a few days, until you get acclimated to them being out there.

Ok, good to know. I'm a new chicken mama so I'm worrying over a new situation. Their coop is very safe and secure (My husband built fort knox) but it's still not under the watchful eye of mom in the living room
I am thinking of putting them out there tomorrow, then I will have Wednesday off so I can let them out to explore their run for the day and spend time with them.
Thanks again for the advice