Putting chicks in outside coop?

[4Crazychickens4me]

Ok so my chicks are going on 7 weeks old and seem to have all their feathers in now. So my question is when can I take heat lamp off off them and when can they go into outside coop. It gets into the lower 30s here at night and 40-60 during the day. Thanks

 

[Rocky Rhodes]

Now.

 

[azygous]

After seven weeks under a heat lamp, these chicks should be well-done by now.

They should already be off heat. Now all you need to do is let them spend a couple days outdoors to harden them off, nights indoors in an unheated brooder in a cool room, and then exiled to the coop for good.

 

[merrymutts]

just put my 4-5 week old ISO Brown girls in their little outside baby coop. At First they were not too happy but it gives them more room than being in the baby pool corral with the 4 younger chicks...and the little peeps are happy with more room as well.

The outside coop has a thick layer of shavings and a 125w red heat lamp for now.

 

[merrymutts]

Temps supposed to be near 30 tonight !!! Should my Brown girls be OK with the 125w heat lamp and a blanket thrown over their outside coop ???

 

[azygous]

Temps supposed to be near 30 tonight !!! Should my Brown girls be OK with the 125w heat lamp and a blanket thrown over their outside coop ???

It will depend on whether your girls have experienced cool temps yet. If they have never experienced anything below 70F, then you might want to let them acclimate to cooler temps gradually before exposing them to very cold temps, even with a lamp.

Also, ventilation is crucial to avoid frostbite if it gets below freezing. Heat mixed with freezing air can cause moisture to condense on combs and feet unless air circulates adequately.

 

[merrymutts]

I feel better having brought them in for the night. Our coop builder wants to come out Wednesday or Thursday to finish the nest boxes and the baby chick section of the main coop...then I can transfer all there with plenty of ventilation and warmth.