Move out age?

[ducks_rcool329]

Hello...
So I have 11 chickens, they are all bantams ( Japanese, D'uccle, and Dutch). They are 6 weeks old now, and are still very small ( i can cu the dutch in the palm of my hand)
My question is, when Can i move them outside to their coop? Right now they are being spoiled in my heated garage.

( i think they enjoy it). But I have finished their coops. It gets to be around the low 50's at night ( min) and around 85(ish) during the day when its no cloudy. Can I move them out> Should they have a heat lamp outside? Thanks~!

 

[HHandbasket]

Depends on your climate. I have chicks that hatched on Monday and Tuesday of this week, and the mother hen has them out and about in the yard today.

Edited To Add: We are expecting a high of 77 today. It's about 60 right now, and Olga's had the babies out in the yard for about 2 hours now.

We live in the mountains and have a LOT of shade and cover plants for the chickens to cool off and relax.

 

[FarmCoe]

In my opinion, I would put them out. I start at 95 degrees when they hatch, and subtract 5 every week until it gets down to about 80 degrees. If they have feathers by then, I put them out.

 

[tclegg]

Ok along same lines--my girls are alittle over 3 weeks totally feathered...and all are larger breeds (13) in all...still in brooder barely...but no heat lamp or light at night....Should they be ready to go out to coop and run now...just worried--it is hot here and we have no way to cool--except shade and ice water and bottles right now...and venting...

 

[Chick Charm]

At 6 weeks they should be foraging outside. Even in cooler climates, chicks can be acclimated at 4 weeks typically. They want to be out and about, so let em go out. I love watching a broody take care of her chicks without any help from us in the early spring. They can do just fine without our intervention to be quite honest. If you have been keeping them in a brooder with heat on them then gradually over a few days bring them down to the temp outside "IF" it is any different than your brooder. I have never kept any chicken in a brooder longer than 4 weeks.

 

[tclegg]

Well I do not have any other chickens--broody or otherwise...It will just be my little girls. I have never done this before...but they are growing well and seem to want to "go out" but I see the "expert" guidelines that say 5-6 weeks but my girls seem to be out growing brooder (which is in spare room in house) and I feel like it is going to do them more harm than good. But do't want to put them out too early either without hte knowledge they need...? Any suggestions... I have 13 total BR--BO-EE-SLW-RIR...and like I said all are feathered and healthy no problems (knock on wood)...

 

[gritsar]

Weaned off their heat lamp, I'm sure they'd do fine in a predator-proof, draft free coop.