Ready to fly the brooder?

[the Precious Ladies]

When will my 6 chicks be ready to "fly the brooder" and live in there 4x8 coop WITHOUT the heat lamp??

 

[BigSkyChickens]

I believe it is about 8 weeks when they have fully grown in their feathers. If you start them at 95 degrees F the first week, and reduce the brooder temp. by 5 degrees per week, they will be at 60 degrees F at that age.
Good luck, enjoy your chickens. And when you think they are too cold outside, just remember they will have built in "down jackets" to wear.

 

[kateseidel]

It may depend on where you are located. I have moved my 4 week old chicks out of the brooder and into their 8x12 coop. I do turn a heat lamp on in one corner when it gets dark, and turn it off in the morning around 7:30 a.m. Here in Charlotte, NC it's been VERY hot - day time temps close to 90 and nighttime low to 60. They do *not* huddle in the warm corner, but like to run in and out for a minute. I'll probably keep the lamp on during the night for another two weeks, or until all of their fuzzy neck and back feather fluff has turned into feathers. Honestly, with these temps, and the horde of them (I have 15), they would probably be okay at night. Temps are supposed to drop this weekend though.

Now that they are in the coop, I can't imagine getting these wild girls back into the brooder!!