outdoor brooder-ing

[achake01]

Hi guys.
Phew, they made it to college. My four-week old rascals are settling into their outdoor brooder which is inside the coop (it will actually be their future 'droppings pit').
A few questions about this awkward teenage phase:
1) How long are they in there, before they graduate on to living in the regular coop?
2)I've read about training them to perch on a roost. Should I try this in their outdoor brooder by installing a good branch or maybe a 2 x 2, rounded edges in there? (I sorta feel like they should be able to figure this all out, but if you think it's a good idea...it's no problem to install).

Thanks, as always--
Anne Marie.

 

[americancowboy]

1) when you can see them growing feathers. but since it is summer it wont matter as much.
2) when my chickens were younger they lived in a laundry basket and eventually they started to roost up on the edges on the basket. You can always put a branch a few inches above the ground and just let their instincts come into play.

 

[Zahboo]

It depends on your weather, what your coop is made of (how small holes are) and other things

I have day olds outside, just seperate from my other birds. Here is is 100 in day, 80 at night, so they are fine, just turn on a 60 watt bulb at night. But you have to make sure snakes can't get in. If it's colder where you are, wait until they are fully feathered. If your coop is wire bottomed wait until they are feathered so a draft doesn't chill them.

 

[achake01]

Thanks, all. I should clarify. I live in Silver Spring, Md. The brooder is indoors (inside the coop) where it's warm and dry. We've hit 100 several times, and nighttime temps are in the 80s. Temperature isnt an issue. I'm just wondering if they're too little to be fully "out" in the coop, or whether to keep them in the brooder section of the coop until they are 6 to 8 weeks or something.
Thanks!

 

[MnKnight]

I live in Maine, and received my chicks in may! still cold here during that time. My chicks started out in a brooder in side and they stayed there until they where 5 weeks old then straight out to the coop with a heat lamp during the night weather for about 2 weeks then they are on their own for warmth! my chickens are 8 weeks old tomorrow and doing great avg temp here is 75 during the day in the high 40's to 50's at night.

 

[Zahboo]

They can go out.

 

[achake01]

Quote:
Sorry to be dense. You mean out-and-about in the coop, right?

 

[Zahboo]

Quote:
Sorry to be dense. You mean out-and-about in the coop, right?

Yep, they are fine without a heat light and can go into the coop.

 

[achake01]

thank you!!

Quote:
Sorry to be dense. You mean out-and-about in the coop, right?

Yep, they are fine without a heat light and can go into the coop.