Do Silkies have different requirements as far as when they're considered fully-feathered and can be outside full time? The three Silkies are almost 4 weeks old, and the rest of the babies in with them are just over 5 weeks old. We just finally moved them to a bigger brooder because the older chicks got moved outside to the coop, but even the bigger brooder looks small to me. There are 14 of them and the brooder is 15 sq ft. I know it won't last them too much longer. Hopefully a week or two. But will the Silkies be okay moving outside to the coop with no heat at 5 or 6 weeks old with 11 other chicks (they would be separated from the older chicks)? We could potentially run electricity out there, though our coop is pretty tight, I have no idea how we would get a cord in there. And I'd worry about the light burning out in the night. It is still getting down to close the freezing some nights. So I feel like my options are:
a) Put all the chicks outside when the brooder is getting really squished, and hope the older/bigger chicks will help keep the Silkies warm enough.
b) Keep all the chicks inside until the Silkies are a little older and more feathered out (how old would Silkies need to be to go outside normally?). The brooder we just moved them from was way too small for them, but they all got along with no pecking or anything, so they'd probably be okay a bit squished for a while again. I just feel bad for them. As it gets nicer they will be going outside and have more room at least during the day though.
c) Move just the older chicks out and leave the Silkies inside longer. I'm very hesitant to do this though, since they're all getting along so well now and the Silkies are the smallest/youngest of the bunch. I'd hate to separate them and then have problems reintroducing the Silkies. I'm already a bit worried about introducing the 14 younger ones to the 9 older ones (who are 8-14 weeks now). Though the older ones had one or two new chicks added almost weekly up until a few weeks ago with no problems, so they seem to be a pretty accepting bunch. I don't want the little Silkies to lose their place in the flock though.
a) Put all the chicks outside when the brooder is getting really squished, and hope the older/bigger chicks will help keep the Silkies warm enough.
b) Keep all the chicks inside until the Silkies are a little older and more feathered out (how old would Silkies need to be to go outside normally?). The brooder we just moved them from was way too small for them, but they all got along with no pecking or anything, so they'd probably be okay a bit squished for a while again. I just feel bad for them. As it gets nicer they will be going outside and have more room at least during the day though.
c) Move just the older chicks out and leave the Silkies inside longer. I'm very hesitant to do this though, since they're all getting along so well now and the Silkies are the smallest/youngest of the bunch. I'd hate to separate them and then have problems reintroducing the Silkies. I'm already a bit worried about introducing the 14 younger ones to the 9 older ones (who are 8-14 weeks now). Though the older ones had one or two new chicks added almost weekly up until a few weeks ago with no problems, so they seem to be a pretty accepting bunch. I don't want the little Silkies to lose their place in the flock though.
