Moving chicks outside in Northeast

[Aocskasy]

This is my first year raising chickens and currently have 7 chicks that are 5 and 6 weeks old. They are all together in a brooder so I planned on moving them into the coop once the youngest ones reach 6 weeks. Two of the 5 week olds are Buff Brahmas and they seem to still have quite a bit more down left than the others. I have two main questions.
Question 1: Where I live in the Northeast the nights are still in the low to mid 40’s. Should I wait until the chicks are a few weeks older or the nights are consistently warmer to move them into the coop? They are currently in a 125 Gallon stock tank that I use for a brooder. I’m worried that if they get too much larger it will be too cramped.
Question 2: How long should they be confined to the coop before allowing them access to the run? Once they are allowed in the run, I plan to have the food and water there exclusively for both the added coop space and to avoid the extra mess. Is this a good idea or will it create confusion? Thanks in advance for any advice.

 

[Ridgerunner]

This is my first year raising chickens and currently have 7 chicks that are 5 and 6 weeks old. They are all together in a brooder so I planned on moving them into the coop once the youngest ones reach 6 weeks. Two of the 5 week olds are Buff Brahmas and they seem to still have quite a bit more down left than the others. I have two main questions.
Question 1: Where I live in the Northeast the nights are still in the low to mid 40’s. Should I wait until the chicks are a few weeks older or the nights are consistently warmer to move them into the coop? They are currently in a 125 Gallon stock tank that I use for a brooder. I’m worried that if they get too much larger it will be too cramped.

I'd be comfortable moving them out now at that age and temperature.

Question 2: How long should they be confined to the coop before allowing them access to the run?

It is generally a good idea to leave them in the coop section only for a week to try to convince them that the coop is a safe place to sleep. That works for a lot of people but usually doesn't for me. My grow-out coop is elevated a couple of feet, I think that makes a difference. Mine still want to sleep in the run so I have to put them in the coop at night to teach them to go in. This works differently for different people.

Once they are allowed in the run, I plan to have the food and water there exclusively for both the added coop space and to avoid the extra mess. Is this a good idea or will it create confusion?

Some people feed and or water in the coop only, some in the run only. Some of us feed and/or water in both locations. We all have our own reasons. The chickens tend to figure it out, especially when they start getting hungry or thirsty, but you may have to help them the first day or two.

 

[K0k0shka]

I like to keep the water in the run, and the feed in the coop. That's to avoid a water mess if anything spills and wets the bedding in the coop, and to avoid the feed getting wet when it rains outside. My run is partly covered overhead and there are places where the feed could technically go that would be under the covered part, but wind can still blow the rain sideways under the cover and into the feed, even though the feeder itself is covered, too. All it takes is some dampness for the feed to mold. Also, leaving feed in the run encourages pests, unless you want to bring it in and take it out every day, which is more work than I'm willing to put in.