Moving baby chicks outside in this heat

[Rockergirl]

My 3 baby chicks will be 4 weeks old on Wednesday. I would like to move them outside this week, thinking about bring them out for a few hours today, a few more the next day and then maybe have them 100% on Wednesday or Thursday? I do have 3 hens outside already - we made a little area in the covered (VERY secure) run that will keep them separate from the hens while we work to integrate them. The run is covered with a roof, so it's shaded and I do have a fan in there, although doesn't do too much.....I'm worried it will be too hot for them. The hens handle it fine, they are used to it, just not sure about the babies. Temps are typically in the 90s but the heat index can get up to 105 or 110 on some days. Is that too much stress on the chicks at 4 weeks? The area I have for them inside is getting too small for them so I either need to construct something bigger inside (which I prefer not to do) or I can move them out in the areas I constructed for them outside in the covered run. Thoughts?

Note - I did bring them out for an hour yesterday in a dog crate. They seemed fine, one had a slight pant but the sun had moved directly on them and they couldn't get out of way. I brought them back in as soon as I noticed, and they were okay. Yesterday was a heat warning day - muggy and index to 108. We live in raleigh, North Carolina area

 

[Finnie]

As long as they have a shaded area where they can get out of the sun and water that is not too hot or too cold, they should be fine. You can set up a fan for them if you want.

 

[Auntiejessi3]

I agree with @Finnie , shade and cool water and they'll be fine. I have 3 week old outside and they could care less, lol. I live in Central Texas, yesterday it was 105 with a heat index of 112, and they were running around being nosey little terrors like usual

 

[Rockergirl]

They are 4 weeks old today. Doing great outside, today was upper 80s. We do get cooler in the evening, low 70s.....do I need to move them inside at night at that temp? They started to fly out of their indoor brooder today, I'd prefer to keep them out overnight...I had been moving them inside after spending the days outside.....but my intention was the keep them out the entire time by this weekend and our evenings are always uppers 60s and low 70s....even with our days in the 90s

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

At 4 weeks old, they will be fine outside overnight with your current low temps in upper 60s/lower 70s as long as their coop is draft-free. (But with ventilation.)

 

[Rockergirl]

At 4 weeks old, they will be fine outside overnight with your current low temps in upper 60s/lower 70s as long as their coop is draft-free. (But with ventilation.)

Thank you! They had a successful 1st night out last night! They seem to really enjoy the extra space and love watching their grown future chicken sisters. And the ladies don't really seem to be bugged at all by the little chicks, of course they are separated by some chicken wire....but no one seems upset