New living arrangements to consider?

[SaturnFowl]

Hello! I’ve currently got four chicks here, around 4 weeks old, and I was wondering where they should sleep at night now that they’re bigger and close to being fully feathered.
(I also have adult hens but they haven’t warmed up the chicks just yet, and they’re not motherly.)
During the day, I have a pen for them to stay (but a good portion of the day is also spent roaming) that can hold a heat lamp. (3rd image) Only problem is, it doesn’t have a floor to it, so during the night, where rats are most active and my dog isn’t outside to defend them, rats could dig into the pen. Therefore, I’ve been moving them to their inside bin at night, but they’ve outgrown it at this point. Too small for how active they are even at night, and they often shove bedding on top of their food or water, cutting their access to it.

I also have a portion of a coop outside where they could stay at night, that closes up completely and is safe from predators, It’s mostly enclosed, with one wire window. (Image 4 and 5) But, temperatures here can drop to 40 degrees fareheight at night, which seems too cold to me.
What do you all think? Are they feathered enough to handle the outside coop? Are rats not a problem at this stage? Is warming up the chicks to the adults what I should be trying to do? When will they be ready for the weather or rats?

 

[rosemarythyme]

Are they feathered enough to handle the outside coop? Are rats not a problem at this stage? Is warming up the chicks to the adults what I should be trying to do? When will they be ready for the weather or rats?

I'd fully wean them off heat first - they shouldn't have it during the day at all if you're planning for them to stay out overnight, when it's cooler. At least 2 of the chicks are still a bit sparse on feathering IMO for dealing with 40F full time.

Rats are absolutely a problem and have been known to kill chicks. If the coop is rat proof then that's the place they need to go as they begin transitioning out. I assume this area of the coop can be protected from the hens as well? You didn't mention if it was already sectioned off or not. Or is this a separate mini coop?

 

[SaturnFowl]

I'd fully wean them off heat first - they shouldn't have it during the day at all if you're planning for them to stay out overnight, when it's cooler. At least 2 of the chicks are still a bit sparse on feathering IMO for dealing with 40F full time.

Rats are absolutely a problem and have been known to kill chicks. If the coop is rat proof then that's the place they need to go as they begin transitioning out. I assume this area of the coop can be protected from the hens as well? You didn't mention if it was already sectioned off or not. Or is this a separate mini coop?

The inside coop is a separate area that has a door that fully closes, the hens roam around the area but not them nor the rats can get in.
It only drops to 40 at a certain point of the night, but that fact still makes me hesitant to put them in there without heat.
Also, I forgot to mention heat lamp in the coop is out of the question with how big the lamp is it would be far too hot and a potential fire/burn hazard
Also, I have been working on the weaning out of heat process, the past week has been half on and off heat and half no heat at all, though the silkie does need some extra warmth sometimes so I’ll go and warm it up when it’s shivering. I feel like if it gets too cold during the day though it’ll definitely struggle at night. I’m sure the chicks could huddle for heat but I’m not sure it will be enough.
Maybe when they’re all completely feathered in some weeks or so can they make the full move?

 

[rosemarythyme]

Also, I have been working on the weaning out of heat process, the past week has been half on and off heat and half no heat at all, though the silkie does need some extra warmth sometimes so I’ll go and warm it up when it’s shivering. I feel like if it gets too cold during the day though it’ll definitely struggle at night. I’m sure the chicks could huddle for heat but I’m not sure it will be enough.
Maybe when they’re all completely feathered in some weeks or so can they make the full move?

The Silkie will likely need more time, though I don't have experience with them, as their feathering makes it harder to hold in heat compared to regular feathered birds. Continue working on weaning them off heat, and for now I'd hold off on moving them out until they feather in a bit more and can make it through the daytime temps without issue.