New to Chicken Momma Life!

[Queenofchicks]

Hello I’m Abby, and so I am fairly new to the chicken lifestyle but I have a great support system. I literally have Tractor Supply in my backyard and than my best friend / sister works at a feed store and has chickens of her own! I got day old chicks and now 4 of them are 5 weeks and than I have one that is about to be 4 weeks old. I have 2 Americana chickens, 1 Buff Orpington, 1 Cuckoo Maran, and 1 Barred Rocks. I really wanted more blue eggs so the 4 week old is an Americana. Today I picked up their chicken coop and let them play in it for a few hours, and I plan on letting them back there again tomorrow bright and early. My question is, we got a heater/brooder from Tractor Supply and I was wondering if next weekend I could put them in the coop altogether? Or since the one is only 4 weeks should I bring her back in at night until she has more feathers? The other girls have all their feathers and seem to be getting stir crazy in the little cage I have them in. I brought them in tonight to be safe but I’m seeing the weather is staying pretty warm and if I add the heater I have and put them all in there all night starting next weekend will they be okay? I live in Sacramento California so it doesn’t really got all that cold here. I will be doing a few upgrades to my coop like redoing the roof, paint, and giving them some more security.

 

[orloffer]

Welcome to BYC from the Bay Area, Abby! There is so much to see, do, and learn here! I am not experienced enough about chicks to answer your questions, but hopefully someone else will soon!

 

[Queenofchicks]

Welcome to BYC from the Bay Area, Abby! There is so much to see, do, and learn here! I am not experienced enough about chicks to answer your questions, but hopefully someone else will soon!

Thank you neighbor! Appreciate it I think I made two posts on accident haha

 

[92Pony]

To me, they look like they're able to go outside now (depending on nighttime temps). By next weekend, you now have 6wk-olds and a 5wk-old. They should be plenty good by next weekend. IMO.

 

[Queenofchicks]

To me, they look like they're able to go outside now (depending on nighttime temps). By next weekend, you now have 6wk-olds and a 5wk-old. They should be plenty good by next weekend. IMO.

Thank you! This makes me happy they seem to love being in their coop a lot. I just put them out there now for the day and they are loving it... but that also could be the mealworms I threw in there too

 

[92Pony]

Thank you! This makes me happy they seem to love being in their coop a lot. I just put them out there now for the day and they are loving it... but that also could be the mealworms I threw in there too

That's how I've transitioned mine outside before too. Letting them spend more and more time out during the day(s), and then eventually leaving them out 24/7.