Questions about when chicks can be outside full-time

[ChickenShepherd_6116]

I have 6 chicks (all different breeds) who are 4ish weeks old. They currently live inside in a brooder box. As they are getting older and bigger, they are getting more and more wild in the brooder (not to mention they stink). I think they need more space to fly around but I don't have anything bigger to put them in. I let them out to run around the room and I let them take trips outside when it is warm.

My question is: If chicks generally get fully feathered by 5-6 weeks, why do they have to live inside until they are 8 weeks old? My thought is that if they are fully feathered, they should be able to live outside, right? I've been told that is not true but I'm not sure why...
I live in North ID and the weather during the day have been around low 50's to mid 60's. It has been raining 1-2x per week (as is spring). Night-time is usually mid 30's to low 40's.

 

[HollowOfWisps]

They can in fact you can brood outside from the start. Mine are brooded out in an un-heated barn from day 1 with a heat plate. Most of the time during the day they are not even under the plate even when they are only several days old and it’s 40F outside. By 3-4 weeks they self-wean off of the heat plate and I completely remove it by 4 weeks. People think that if they are cold the chicks must be cold, but that’s not how it works. Even with a broody hen chicks do not sit under her 24/7, but only go under when they need to heat back up. Also when you think about it while they will cuddle with the broody hen by the time they are 3-4 weeks they are not sitting under the broody to get warm at that point. It would look like something out of a Dr. Seuss book if they all stacked up underneath her at 3-4 weeks.

 

[ChickenShepherd_6116]

They can in fact you can brood outside from the start. Mine are brooded out in an un-heated barn from day 1 with a heat plate. Most of the time during the day they are not even under the plate even when they are only several days old and it’s 40F outside. By 3-4 weeks they self-wean off of the heat plate and I completely remove it by 4 weeks. People think that if they are cold the chicks must be cold, but that’s not how it works. Even with a broody hen chicks do not sit under her 24/7, but only go under when they need to heat back up. Also when you think about it while they will cuddle with the broody hen by the time they are 3-4 weeks they are not sitting under the broody to get warm at that point. It would look like something out of a Dr. Seuss book if they all stacked up underneath her at 3-4 weeks.

So as long as I have a brooder plate for heat, they can live outside full time right now?

 

[HollowOfWisps]

So as long as I have a brooder plate for heat, they can live outside full time right now?

If they are feathered out they technically don’t even need the heat plate. If you want you could put it out there for a couple of days until they adjust, but I remove mine when they are 4 weeks because they don’t use it. I have some that are less than a week old right now. The other day it was 34F when I did chores and not one was even under the heat plate. They were all running around, eating, drinking and playing.

 

[ChickenShepherd_6116]

If they are feathered out they technically don’t even need the heat plate. If you want you could put it out there for a couple of days until they adjust, but I remove mine when they are 4 weeks because they don’t use it. I have some that are less than a week old right now. The other day it was 34F when I did chores and not one was even under the heat plate. They were all running around, eating, drinking and playing.

Thanks for the help!

 

[RoyalChick]

I have 6 chicks (all different breeds) who are 4ish weeks old. They currently live inside in a brooder box. As they are getting older and bigger, they are getting more and more wild in the brooder (not to mention they stink). I think they need more space to fly around but I don't have anything bigger to put them in. I let them out to run around the room and I let them take trips outside when it is warm.

My question is: If chicks generally get fully feathered by 5-6 weeks, why do they have to live inside until they are 8 weeks old? My thought is that if they are fully feathered, they should be able to live outside, right? I've been told that is not true but I'm not sure why...
I live in North ID and the weather during the day have been around low 50's to mid 60's. It has been raining 1-2x per week (as is spring). Night-time is usually mid 30's to low 40's.

Time to kick those kids out of the house!
You can give them a heat plate if you are worried but they may not even need it and will huddle for warmth. I am a big anxious softy so I would probably give them a heat plate, but even I would have had them outdoors by now. I usually boot mine out at about a week old even with below freezing night temperatures.

 

[ChickenShepherd_6116]

Time to kick those kids out of the house!
You can give them a heat plate if you are worried but they may not even need it and will huddle for warmth. I am a big anxious softy so I would probably give them a heat plate, but even I would have had them outdoors by now. I usually boot mine out at about a week old even with below freezing night temperatures.

That reassures me! I think I will give them the brooder plate just to be sure that they are totally comfortable at night. Their mini run will share several walls with the adult hens run, with that in mind, when can they share a run and coop with the adult hens? Just as a reminder, they are 4 weeks old right now.

 

[Ridgerunner]

So as long as I have a brooder plate for heat, they can live outside full time right now?

I also brood them outside straight from the incubator or post office even when the temperatures reach below freezing. That's not where you are right now, yours are older, but the same concepts apply. They need a place that is warm enough in the coldest of conditions and a place that is cool enough in the warmest of conditions. You also need to keep them out of direct cold breezes.

I don't know if yours will still need heat at 4 weeks old or not. Yours have not been acclimated to the cold. Some heat plates come with a warning that they are not good for below 50 F but as old as your chicks are I think you can ignore that. There is nothing wrong with offering then a warm spot until they show you that they do not need it. Go more by what you see than what some stranger over the internet like me says.

with that in mind, when can they share a run and coop with the adult hens? Just as a reminder, they are 4 weeks old right now.

How big are your coop and run? Integration generally requires more room than all the guidelines give. It is a lot easier for me to give specific advice if I know what you are working with.

I basically have two separate flocks until my pullets begin to lay. The young avoid the old until then. That does not mean there is aggression or anything bad, just that they do not mingle during the day and do not sleep together at night.

My goal in integration is that no one gets hurt. Nothing more. They can become one happy flock that hangs together, eats together, and roosts together when they mature. Until then they need room to stay apart. There are various tricks we use when we don't have a lot of space, but I'd need to know what you are working with to be able to suggest any specifically for you. But some generic ideas are to give them as much space as you can, feed and water in widely separated areas so the juveniles can eat and drink without being bullied away from food and water, use clutter for them to be able to hide below, behind, or above the adults, and try to not force them together in a small space.

I've had broody hens wean their chicks as young as 3 weeks old to make their own way with the flock in warmer weather. I typically let my brooder raised chicks mingle with the adults at 5 weeks old. Some people think I'm too cautious as they let theirs out at 4 weeks old. We don' t always agree on everything.

Yours were not raised in the coop so they will need some "see but don't touch" time. How much room you have during the day and also at night will influence my suggestions. But, no, you do not need to wait another month.

 

[ChickenShepherd_6116]

Question for anyone!

Should I lock them in their coop if it is raining? They have been outside several times but only when it is warm and sunny. I decided to move them out today (it was warm and sunny), but by the time I finished setting up their mini coop and run, it was gross and rainy. I can't move them back inside because I just spent a couple hours setting up their run and moving their brooder coop outside.
It stopped raining so I let them out again, although I suspect the rain will start up again soon. They can go in and out of the coop as they wish.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Should I lock them in their coop if it is raining? They have been outside several times but only when it is warm and sunny. I decided to move them out today (it was warm and sunny), but by the time I finished setting up their mini coop and run, it was gross and rainy. I can't move them back inside because I just spent a couple hours setting up their run and moving their brooder coop outside.
It stopped raining so I let them out again, although I suspect the rain will start up again soon. They can go in and out of the coop as they wish.

Depends on their behavior. As long as they know how to get back undercover they should be fine. Mine are brooded outdoors so they learn very quickly to take cover when it rains too much for their liking.