New chicks are coming, are 'old' ones old enough to 'move out'?

[SlipsWife]

We ordered the hatchery surprise from Cackle Hatchery and the new chicks (and who knows what else might be in the mix!) should be here Friday. Here's the problem...I didn't think they would get here so soon and we still have 9 chicks that are using our makeshift brooder. We are using a large plastic pond with chicken wire on the top. The chicks are out all day in the coop and run (we are in Texas and having beautiful weather) but we still put them in the brooder at night with the heat lamp since it gets chilly. They will be almost a month old when the new guys move in. Is that old enough to leave in the coop with bedding and a light at night or do they still need to be confined to an area? The coop is an 8x10 shed w/a large open area to the run. Are they smart enough to stay near the heat lamp if they get chilled?

 

[Chick Charm]

If you put em outside in a coop they will find the light/heat lamp. Chicks are far more cold tolerant than we allow them to be at times. 4 weeks old...they are probably feathered out aren't they? They will need a draft free zone in the coop. A mamma hen keeps em draft free at night.

 

[SlipsWife]

They do have a good amount of feathers (and still have a week before the new guys arrive to get more). I know that chickens aren't know for their smarts (though some are brighter than others) but I swear this first group are really lacking in the brains department!

This is our first go at chickens (my husband and I both grew up with various animals as kids but he's been in the military and we are finally back to being civilians again and not moving every couple of years!

) so we really are newbies. I might not be giving them enough credit! The girls thank you for your vote of confidence!