Outdoor question

[chairboy]

I just finished building a small coop and run for my seven 5 1/2 week old chicks on Sunday. It has been unusually warm the past couple of days (60+) but it is going to start to cool down after tomorrow. The past few days has been their first time outdoors ever. At what daytime temps should I keep them locked in the coop? For example is below 45 OK or not OK for them to have an open pop door at this age? They appear to be fully feathered.

 

[froggiesheins]

Hi, I really am not expert but will throw in my 2cents worth of experience with chickies and a TON of research. Make sure you have a heat lamp in the coop so that they can go under it to warm up. The coop does not have to be warm but they need that spot (just like a mamma hen) to go and warm up. I live in Southern California and I do this for my month old baby when he goes outside for the day. I have a heat lamp that I got from Petco that was for reptiles and it has a switch to control how much heat it lets out. You can use either a 100watt or 75 watt bulb HEAT bulb ( I use a 75 watt) that they sell there as well. My 3 months old hen is doing fine without the lamp now but I live in a much warmer climate. Because you have 5 little darlings they can pile up together and form a heat ball, so that helps, but you still need that heat source. I have seen babies still TRY to crawl under mamma hen at 2-3 months old for a dose of heat. I am lucky to have access to a huge aviary of chickens at the stable where I keep my horse so I have been watching and learning first hand their habits.....

Have fun with yer chickies! And hug them everyday.....