New to chickens when can I move them outside?

[LittlenRedHen782]

I have 5 week old chicks (RIR and Batams) they are almost completely feather out (I think). Right now they are living in a pen in the barn, with their light. To me it seems that they are getting crowed in their current location. What I need to know is when can they be moved outside to the coop (what temptures are too low wit the light/ with out the light)? ( I am in the south end out the Salt Lake Valley UT)

 

[hennypenny9]

Five weeks is probably the youngest possible to be put outside. Might still be too young. I don't know the temperatures in Salt Lake Valley, so maybe you could tell us?

 

[LittlenRedHen782]

Right now the day time temps are between 40 and 60 and nights have been fairly steady in the 30's. The weather guy says that we have more snow comming and at this time of year he tends to be about 50% right. Welcome to spring in the Rockies.

 

[debilorrah]

5 weeks is too young to be outside without heat. I usually move mine at 8 weeks, but still use the heat lamp until they are fully feathered - no more tufts of down anywhere on them.

 

[LittlenRedHen782]

Thank you this helps so much I guess that I will just have to find a way on enlarge their current enclosure. This also will give me a little mre time to finish the coop for them.

 

[B. Saffles Farms]

I move mine out at either 1 or 2 weeks old. But with a heat lamp and a brooder that they can get out of the wind in.

 

[LittlenRedHen782]

Their outside coop is made out of an old cattle shoot and dog houses. But with here I am the wind is never ending and I have yet to figure out how to set the dog houses/new coops to keep the wind out.

 

[gumpsgirl]

I actually moved my last batch out to the brooder in the coop when they were one week old in January. The coop brooder is draft free and I added the heat lamp of course. They did, and still are doing, just fine! We even had a few nights with temps. down in the teens.

The biggest thing to remember is that they need the heat lamp and to be put in a draft free place. Don't give them to big of an area, so they don't wander off to far from the heat lamp and keep the lamp low enough to keep them plenty warm.

If you keep those things in mind, they will be just fine going outside.

 

[lisahaschickens]

I posted all about moving my babies out to the coop at two week old, but they did and still do have their heat lamps (at 7 weeks old today). I am about to wean them off the lights now. It was still in the 20s and 30s at night, but the coo pis secure and draft-free and they had two brooder lights. If you are interested, check out my blog (link in my signature) and check the post called, "The Big Move."

At five weeks, I would think they'd be fine during the day (depending on temps) but still need heat at least at night. I think they'd be good with 65-70 degrees, so not super hot, but not 30 either. Mine were extremely happy when they moved to the big coop out of their little brooder! If you can get heat out there, I really recommend doing it!

 

[hennypenny9]

Quote:
Yeah, as long as you keep an eye on them to watch for huddling, you may be able to put them outside. There's someone on this site who does this regularly... Ruth maybe?

We always sit with them for a while to make sure all is well, and we've NEVER used a thermometer, even in the brooder. Just moved the light according to the chicks behavior. So it's not an exact science. Good luck!