Moving chicks to coop questions

[Waters-flock]

I’m a new chicken mom and I have questions. My chicks are four weeks today and they are getting too big for their brooder. They no longer sleep under the heater and are testing their wings all the time, which creates chaos. I have started taking them down to their future run in the mornings and leaving them for longer time each day. They are kept in a chicken play pen (based on suggestions I got here) inside the larger run. It’s large enough for them to explore. Here are my questions.
1) How do you know when they are feathered enough to go into their coop? The temps here are between 70 and high 80’s with an occasional shower storm. I’ve included pics of my cute girls (outside and up close). One more week - or two?
2) The coop has a pretty serious ladder to the roosts. How do you know when your chicks can actually maneuver the ladder? Should I do a test drive? Teach them how?
3). The coop has a weird infestation of Roly Pollies. I assume grown chickens would eat these but what about chicks? I haven’t removed them but I could if necessary.
4). When do I switch their chick feed to layer feed? Does it coincide with the move?
5). My girls were outside this morning when we had a sudden rain storm. Their area is covered by a tarp (for shade) so they didn’t get wet directly. I assume that once they learn to live in the coop, they will find cover in a situation like this instinctively? Or do I need to run to the coop to make sure.
Thanks, all, for your support.

 

[AnneRaduns]

My almost 5 week old chicks are in their coop and loving it. They still huddle around in the corner at night, but most of the time during the day - they are in and out of the coop. They are also roosting a lot during the day.

 

[rosemarythyme]

1. With your temperatures they can move out permanently, now. Them not using their heat source is the most obvious hint that they're ready. I'd also do away with the pen pretty soon... it's not a bad idea to gradually introduce them to their settings but at 4 weeks they can handle more space. I let 2 week olds have full coop/run access (525 sq ft) and have never seen a chick get "lost."

3. Most chickens enjoy roly-pollies. Just leave them be, if they want to eat them, they will. Do make sure they have access to grit or stones suitable to serve as grit.

4. Multiple ways to do this, it's really up to you and the types of birds you have: a) never switch them at all, they can eat unmedicated starter, grower or all flock their entire lives (optimal if you have males, mixed ages, low production birds) b) switch them over once the flock begins laying or c) switch them over according to directions on the bag, usually 16-18 weeks (I'd only do this if you have all high production birds).

5. Some brooded chicks figure out rain better than others. Might want to check on them the next time it rains to see what they do. Mine are raised outdoors rain or shine so I don't sweat it, I figure they'll figure things out if I leave it up to them.

 

[Waters-flock]

1. With your temperatures they can move out permanently, now. Them not using their heat source is the most obvious hint that they're ready. I'd also do away with the pen pretty soon... it's not a bad idea to gradually introduce them to their settings but at 4 weeks they can handle more space. I let 2 week olds have full coop/run access (525 sq ft) and have never seen a chick get "lost."

3. Most chickens enjoy roly-pollies. Just leave them be, if they want to eat them, they will. Do make sure they have access to grit or stones suitable to serve as grit.

4. Multiple ways to do this, it's really up to you and the types of birds you have: a) never switch them at all, they can eat unmedicated starter, grower or all flock their entire lives (optimal if you have males, mixed ages, low production birds) b) switch them over once the flock begins laying or c) switch them over according to directions on the bag, usually 16-18 weeks (I'd only do this if you have all high production birds).

5. Some brooded chicks figure out rain better than others. Might want to check on them the next time it rains to see what they do. Mine are raised outdoors rain or shine so I don't sweat it, I figure they'll figure things out if I leave it up to them.

I have a tendency to overthink things and I just don’t want things to go wrong. I lost one girl in the first few days and I just want the remaining girls to stay healthy and happy. So far, they do seem to be doing really well.

 

[NatJ]

They no longer sleep under the heater

The temps here are between 70 and high 80’s

When the outdoor low temperature matches the temperature they are living at now, they can go outside, no matter how many or few feathers they have.

So if they are in a 70 degree house, not using supplemental heat, and the outdoor temperature stays above 70, they will be fine.

 

[NatJ]

I worry about sudden, unexpected weather - like short but heavy rainstorms. But yes, they seem to be pretty comfortable in the weather outside.

If it's a short rainstorm, and they stay dry, they will certainly be fine.
Even if it lasts for several days, they will probably be fine if they stay dry.

At any age, chicks can huddle up and make it through a short time at a slightly lower temperature.

The older they get, the less it bothers them, so they do fine with larger temperature swings for longer stretches.

 

[NatJ]

2). Can chicks overeat? I leave feed out all day, give them fresh water each day and they get treats twice a day. In the mornings, I give them mash from my hand (just feed and water) so they will get more and more comfortable with me. But they eat more than I expected. It explains why they seem to double in size each day - okay, almost.

Free-choice food and water, and as much mash (wet food) as they want, should be fine.
Almost all chickens are good at self-regulating.
(And of course when you make the feed into a wet mash, it swells up, so it looks like they are eating "more" than if they ate it dry and then drank water.)

The only sort-of exception is Cornish Cross meat chickens. They need their food restricted a bit to keep them from growing too fast for their legs to support them. I've read of various strategies for limiting their food, such as providing feed for 12 hours in the daytime, then taking it away for 12 hours of nighttime.

Most other meat chickens can safely self-regulate, and any of the dual purpose chickens, layer types, and bantams should certainly be fine. (Cornish Cross would be white, and round like a bowling ball. There are no Cornish Cross in your pictures.)

 

[Auntiejessi3]

Do you have other chickens? Or are these your first and only? If they are your only chickens I say move them to their house. Make a huddle box for them if your worried about them getting a little chill. When it rains I have some ladies that could care less and go about their business and others that go in the coop, they'll figure it out as far as the rollie pollies go I'd leave em, they'll eat them. With all the rain we've had there are baby frogs everywhere and my ladies love them

 

[HeathenHavenHomestead]

I’d let them into their new home. Once I moved mine outside they feathered out faster. I also made them a tarp covered area in their run with food/water under it so they could still explore outside if they wanted under cover. However I found they just went into the outdoor brooder and came out once it stopped raining. I’ve put mine out as early as 1 week into an outdoor brooder that had a heat plate and once they felt confident enough to go up to the 2nd story to perch they did.
Im new so not sure if the rolly Polly cause any issues but mine just peck at bugs even if they don’t eat them yet.

 

[Waters-flock]

I’d let them into their new home. Once I moved mine outside they feathered out faster. I also made them a tarp covered area in their run with food/water under it so they could still explore outside if they wanted under cover. However I found they just went into the outdoor brooder and came out once it stopped raining. I’ve put mine out as early as 1 week into an outdoor brooder that had a heat plate and once they felt confident enough to go up to the 2nd story to perch they did.
Im new so not sure if the rolly Polly cause any issues but mine just peck at bugs even if they don’t eat them yet.

The run is pretty large but only part of it is covered so for now, I’m keeping their explorations to that area. I like the idea of giving them a brooder in the bottom of their coop until they can easily climb up to the 2nd story.