Outside over night?

[corthendo]

My chicks are 4 weeks old as of yesterday, I wanted to get 2-3 more because I think 2 are roos and I am worried about waiting much longer and having problems getting them to live together. Plus they have really outgrown the brooder. They are in the run from around 9-10 am to 8 pm. I think they are pretty feathered for the most part maybe a little naked under the wing. I wouldn’t feel safe putting their heating lamp in the coop so I’m wondering if they will be okay outside overnight. My other question is do you put food and water in the coop or just leave it in the run overnight? Pics of our temps for the week and the chicks with my husband

 

[bobbi-j]

Your chicks are plenty old enough to be out of the brooder and in a coop overnight. When brooding, my opinion is, the sooner you can get them out of the brooder the better. When I order chicks, I get them late April or early Mayand they go right in the coop. It’s usually in the 40’s to 50’s at night, sometimes colder. I use a heating pad brooder and they have plenty of room to get out of the heat if they wish. I usually turn it off when they’re about 4 weeks old.

 

[Tahai]

They are feathered enough for 50 degree nights. If they are not yet roosting, you could provide a thick layer of straw to bed in.

 

[corthendo]

They are feathered enough for 50 degree nights. If they are not yet roosting, you could provide a thick layer of straw to bed in.

The roost in the coop is pretty high so I don’t think they could get up there. They use the roosts we have in the run though. I was planning on using hemp bedding.