Putting Chicks Outside

[LaMissa1]

First time chick mama here! I have 4 chicks, 5 weeks old, barred rocks and golden sex links. I’m wondering when I can keep them out in the coop full time. The temps have been anywhere from 41 at night to 88 during the day. I have a little heater (brooder) that I could put in the coop to keep them warm at night. Would this be sufficient for them? Will they do okay with that setup? I just feel like they are outgrowing their box. I take them out to their covered run during the day and bring them in if I’m leaving the house or for bedtime, but I feel like they love being outside with space so much more. Is it too early though? Thanks!

 

[azygous]

It's perfect timing! They are ready at five weeks old to be chickens, and your temps are perfect.

Here's a tip for moving them to the coop for their first night. Close them up in it about three hours before dark and let them explore the coop and get familiar with all the nooks and crannies. That way, when it gets dark, they won't be afraid.

Have they been under heat at night up until now? If so, they may need a little heat at night to transition them to no heat in the coop.

You may not have given it any thought, but you still face the task of teaching your chicks to go into the coop at night after their first night. They don't automatically know to do that. You will need to show them.

I hope you have a coop where you can get inside with them because if it's one of those chicken "doll houses", it's going to be a little trickier.

 

[LaMissa1]

It's perfect timing! They are ready at five weeks old to be chickens, and your temps are perfect.

Here's a tip for moving them to the coop for their first night. Close them up in it about three hours before dark and let them explore the coop and get familiar with all the nooks and crannies. That way, when it gets dark, they won't be afraid.

Have they been under heat at night up until now? If so, they may need a little heat at night to transition them to no heat in the coop.

You may not have given it any thought, but you still face the task of teaching your chicks to go into the coop at night after their first night. They don't automatically know to do that. You will need to show them.

I hope you have a coop where you can get inside with them because if it's one of those chicken "doll houses", it's going to be a little trickier.

At the moment, I have a brooder that I just turn on for them at night. I was thinking of turning it off for good one hike they’re inside since it stays about 70 ish inside. But I had read that the temp shouldn’t get lower than 60 unless all of their feathers are in. They do still have some fluff on them, mostly their heads and a couple little spaces. So I was concerned about them going outside film time since the nighttime temps were below 60. Do you think that’s a not a problem? Especially with the heater?

I had also read somewhere else that if you put your chicks in the coop, leave them in there with food and water for a couple days, they learn that the coop is “home” and that’s where they’ll go to sleep. Do you think that would work?

Haha yes I have a chicken doll house lol!

 

[rosemarythyme]

But I had read that the temp shouldn’t get lower than 60 unless all of their feathers are in.

This is incorrect. Many of us have chicks younger than yours in lower temperatures without heat, without issue, because we acclimate them to those temperatures by exposing them to cooler temps while giving them the option of heat. The chicks will opt to go without heat a lot more than people realize, and that hardens them to cold.

I had also read somewhere else that if you put your chicks in the coop, leave them in there with food and water for a couple days, they learn that the coop is “home” and that’s where they’ll go to sleep. Do you think that would work?

That works for me, but you need to ensure that the coop is spacious enough, well ventilated, and well lit enough that they can be safely housed inside for several days.

 

[azygous]

Cooping chickens up in the coop for a few days is when you get older chickens and you need to imprint on them where home base is for free ranging. Cooping chicks up in a coop and expecting them to find their way back inside after three days is a myth.

For one thing, the coop will look completely different to them from out in the run. Sure, eventually, they may stumble back to the coop if sheltering urges kick in good and strong, but you'll be at your wits end waiting on that to happen.

In chicken world, the broody usually shows the chicks back into the coop when she is taking them out for the first time after they hatch. You are the broody hen to your chicks and must show them. You can also teach them to roost, something the broody hen will do by the time her chicks are three or four weeks old. Roosting isn't as important as getting them under cover at night, but eventually, you'll see the advantage of having them sleep up out of their enormous piles of nightly poop. My chicks roost at five weeks unless they are particularly slow learners.