Moving Poults Outside

[Llamaguy]

When can poults leave the heat lamp behind? I've been having a little trouble with them flying out of the brooder even with 3' walls so I want to put them in a barn but there isn't electricity for a heat lamp. The lows this week are only 65° at night and they are 4 weeks old today, is that too cold and too young? I usually keep ducks and geese inside until they are feathered but turkeys came pre-feathered.

 

[Hounds51]

When can poults leave the heat lamp behind? I've been having a little trouble with them flying out of the brooder even with 3' walls so I want to put them in a barn but there isn't electricity for a heat lamp. The lows this week are only 65° at night and they are 4 weeks old today, is that too cold and too young? I usually keep ducks and geese inside until they are feathered but turkeys came pre-feathered.

If I were you, I would put some chicken wire over the top of your brooder, and keep them in for at least another 2 weeks.
If you can safely get away with it, I would turn off the heat lamp at night, but make sure that your room temp is no lower than 80 degrees at night.
We keep ours in for 8 weeks or fully feathered, which ever comes first.
Put yourself in thier shoes. Could you handle it?

 

[Timskins]

When can poults leave the heat lamp behind? I've been having a little trouble with them flying out of the brooder even with 3' walls so I want to put them in a barn but there isn't electricity for a heat lamp. The lows this week are only 65° at night and they are 4 weeks old today, is that too cold and too young? I usually keep ducks and geese inside until they are feathered but turkeys came pre-feathered.

I think you might be a week or 2 early with those temps. Mine are 5 weeks old and have been off the heat for just over a week but our temps have been much warmer. I think my lowest low was around 78. Mine are going out tomorrow when the coop is done.