Moving chicks outside inconsistent temps?

[aelizabeth93]

Our 12 chicks are 6 weeks old today. They are ready to move outside... their brooder is getting just a little crowded. We are planning to move them out to their coop on Friday. We have had unusually hot weather for this time of year with day time temps of 98, however it’s dropping to about 48 at night. Are they going to be fine if we move them to the coop without a heat lamp at night? Right now their brooder is sitting at around 73 - our house temp.. haven’t really been able to cool it down much more than that for them. Any tips are appreciated.

Also wondering about how long we should keep them in the coop without access to their run? We won’t be having an automatic door - they will eventually be let in and out. I’ve done so much research and have heard everything from allow access to the run immediately, to keeping them in their coop for a month.

Thanks in advance!

 

[3KillerBs]

If they're fully-feathered they should be fine -- though a period of acclimation is a good idea.

I can't help in re: shutting them into the coop. I brooded in my coop for both batches of chicks so far.

 

[rosemarythyme]

At 6 weeks old they should be feathered enough to handle temperature swings, or if you want a slower acclimation take them outside during the evening for a few days so they get exposed to cooler temperatures before you finally move them out.

I don't know if I'd recommend locking them in the coop in this case, because your highs are pretty high. Do you have a thermometer so you can check how hot it gets inside the coop, locked up, during the hottest part of the day? If it's any hotter than outside I would NOT lock them in. Although you're worried about them being cold at night, the heat during the day is more problematic.

 

[Killyhawker]

They’ll be fine. Nighttime security by predator proof coop with ventilation holes…

One of my crazy combination chickens hatched her baby out in the nesting box and has taken care of it. She’s now a month old. I had mama and baby separated by a wire gate so my bully hen(Barred Plymouth Rock) wouldn’t do anything to baby. Don’t know why I was surprised after all I’ve read—Ash has watched over & defended baby Smokey from the bigger chickens. If Smokey, looses sight of mom, she scampers around calling to find her.

she’s a month and a week old now…Ash has gone back to sitting on eggs! Crazy girl…

 

[Granny23]

They’ll be fine. Nighttime security by predator proof coop with ventilation holes…

One of my crazy combination chickens hatched her baby out in the nesting box and has taken care of it. She’s now a month old. I had mama and baby separated by a wire gate so my bully hen(Barred Plymouth Rock) wouldn’t do anything to baby. Don’t know why I was surprised after all I’ve read—Ash has watched over & defended baby Smokey from the bigger chickens. If Smokey, looses sight of mom, she scampers around calling to find her.

she’s a month and a week old now…Ash has gone back to sitting on eggs! Crazy girl… View attachment 2769305 View attachment 2769306 View attachment 2769307 View attachment 2769308

What a darling ball of fluff baby!! I can't tell head from tail in the picture above it..his mom? Lol. Beautiful colors tho.

 

[bobbi-j]

I brood in the coop using the mama heating pad method. They’re generally off heat by 4 weeks and going in and out. I would put them in the coop with access to the run (it is attached, right?). They can’t be locked in the coop with the heat you’re experiencing now. You may have to physically put them in the coop for a few evenings, but they’ll figure it out sooner or later.