Moving chicks outdoors

[Jenns Hens]

I have two buff Orpingtons and two Rhodebars all are 5 to 6 weeks old. I built a new coop with a heat source inside and nice enclosed run outside. I moved them to the new coop yesterday. My coop is quiet roomy but there are no windows. I've been told that I should leave them in their new coop at least two weeks before letting them outside. The temps are in the 30's at night and mid 50's during the day . Can I leave the coop door open so they can come and go or do I really need to leave them locked up for two weeks? I'm thinking that since I have no windows in the coop that the continuous darkness won't be good for them...any suggestions?

 

[Makomd]

I personally only put them in for 1 day. Once they know that is home, I leave them to do as they like. I do check to make sure the first couple of nights that they are going in though.

 

[Kelsie2290]

With an enclosed run, I just let them out from day one. I will go and either herd them in the coop in late evening since they often don't go in themselves to sleep, or put them in after dark. They usually learn to go in and out pretty fast, especially if you are feeding in the coop. Does any light get in the coop from whatever you are using for ventilation or how dark is it during the day? With the temperatures that low at night, I would want to be sure they were in the coop since they could get chilled, especially if it rains.

 

[Jenns Hens]

Kelsie, my daughter informed me that the Rhodebars were in the coop last night and she had to round up the buffs after dark...we left the coop open all day yesterday. We have feed and water both inside and outside the coop...maybe I should remove the food from the outside.

 

[Jenns Hens]

Makomd, I think that's what we'll do ..and just make sure they are inside during the night.

 

[trunkman]

Make sure you add some type of ventilation in the near future, I'm sure still air, ammonia from their feces, dander and so on won't be good for them. I can't wait to let mine out, they will be 4 weeks old this coming Wednesday, I'm thinking another week or two before I let mine out too.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

If you provide heat your chickens wont want to go outside in winter. Once they acclimate to cold on the other hand they prefer to be outside even with temps of 0F. The big thing is to wrap your run with a tarp on the prevailing wind side and corner to provide a wind shield. Adequate ventilation is very important, heat is not.

As for chicks getting use to the coop and roosting at night it take less than a week of putting those stubborn ones in each night.

 

[Makomd]

If you provide heat your chickens wont want to go outside in winter. Once they acclimate to cold on the other hand they prefer to be outside even with temps of 0F. The big thing is to wrap your run with a tarp on the prevailing wind side and corner to provide a wind shield. Adequate ventilation is very important, heat is not.

As for chicks getting use to the coop and roosting at night it take less than a week of putting those stubborn ones in each night.

x2

 

[Scifisarah]

Are they able to see to eat and drink during the day in the coop? I would probably put in a window if I were you - on the south side if possible. You could do a complicated boxed in window, or something as simple as cutting a rectangle in the side of the coop, and then caulking a piece of plexiglass a few inches bigger than the hole, onto the outside. We used this simple method for our old tractor with 100% silicone caulk and it has stayed water tight for the past 4 years. I would certainly let them outside in the day, and then make sure they are closed in at night. They might not figure out how to go in and out on their own right away, but will be more likely to go into the coop in the evening if it isn't completely dark. I always put second containers of food and water outside until I know they will go into the coop on their own.

 

[Jenns Hens]

Thanks for the replies... Their coop has plenty of ventilation and a heat lamp inside