One more time...when can chicks be moved outside?

[Chicky Joy]

I'm going back and forth as to when I'm going to put my chicks outside. I have 6 black star chicks. They'll be 4 weeks old on Monday. They haven't had a heat lamp on them for a little more than a week and they're fine. They're almost all feathered out. My hubby made me a nice chicken tractor for them to stay in until they get big enough to go in with the 8 hens we already have. I think they'll outgrow their brooder in 3 weeks or less and it's getting to be a hassle to keep them in the basement as they get bigger.

P.S. I'm in northern Michigan.

 

[AngelzFyre]

I've usually turned mine into their main coop at 6 weeks. They are fully feathered then and do fine.
If it's cold there already, I'd definitely give them the next 2 weeks to get all their feathers in and then turn them into the coop.
It's still in the 80's here in the daytime and high 60's at night so I just turned mine into their coop last week, about 4 days before they were 6 weeks. Mainly did that because 2 of the little roos decided they could flitter up over the brooder area and go into the coop before the others! Trouble 1 and Trouble 2.
With your temps probably being cooler there, I'd just make sure they have somewhere they can get out of any drafts and you'll be fine.
Half of mine roost on their roost now at night and the other half line up under the brooder area and make little dugout places to nest together.
Good luck!

 

[chickorama]

Once they have made up for all the down they lose in feathers, you can put them outside. If they are cold, they huddle together and keep each other warm. Still, it's starting to get chilly out, so if they have just grown in the feathers they need to keep warm, I'd keep them in another couple weeks.

 

[Chicky Joy]

They're almost in an outside environment. They're in the basement by the door, I keep the storm door open and the window in the screen door open so they get lots of fresh air. I've been closing the door at night most nights. I'm still undecided about how much longer to keep them inside.