San Francisco- When can chicks go outside at night?

[GatorBunny]

Hello,

We live in San Francisco, our chicks are 4 weeks and a few days old. It's in the 60s during the day and 50s at night. When can the chicks stay outside in their coop at night with no heat lamp? I am worried about the logistics of keeping a heat lamp in our coop.

Thanks

 

[RonC]

If they are fully feathered I would ween them from the heat lamp for a few days. At that point they will be able to go outside to the coop. It should have ventilation but no drafts and they will be fine. Those are about the temps when mine went out. Wish those were the temps now.

 

[CAjerseychick]

Where in SF are you? I 'd consider it more in the sunny Mission... or Castro or something...
We just moved most of the household out to northern Grass Valley area (80's days and upper 50's at night) and are still hesitating on putting our 4 week olds outside... Seems still to be too much of a temp difference from the heat lap to the drop in temps at night at say.. around 4am... (We just use the lamp at night still)-- plus 2 of the 6 chicks we have are younger there is a huge size difference in them and they are barely feathered vs. the 4 bigger ones....
Our SF apartment is up in the Haight (we commute 3 days a week back to the City) -- I was thinking too foggy and damp(?-- we've been out of town for the last 2 weeks) for them at night-- maybe even just let em out during the day and put them in a box inside sans heat lamp to sort of wean them off the heat lamp before going "cold turkey"....
I actually have them in an old dog crate at night its very convenient...

 

[GatorBunny]

In the Excelsior. It seems like it's going to be higher then 60s today though!

I was thinking the exact same thought, (out during the day, in during the night for a bit) although I'm mostly eager to get them outside because of their noise while we're trying to sleep with them in the next room! So that's not going to help my lack of sleep

 

[CAjerseychick]

In the Excelsior. It seems like it's going to be higher then 60s today though!

I was thinking the exact same thought, (out during the day, in during the night for a bit) although I'm mostly eager to get them outside because of their noise while we're trying to sleep with them in the next room! So that's not going to help my lack of sleep

Post how it goes... I might be commuting in a couple of weeks with a batch of day olds-- they arrive next week-- ... until they are a few weeks old and I can trust the rest of the Family to care for them... (Fire escape by day?, inside in the dog crate in the bathroom at night... Ahhh City chickening....

 

[GatorBunny]

Well the run/coop isn't totally finished yet but I finished the "tractor" and put them out there for a few hours today and they were super happy, they were actually too hot for a bit and went under the shade part of the tractor. I brought them in about 20 mins ago (6ish) because I'm leaving in a bit and didn't want them to stay out after dark (especially with fireworks and everything going on tonight), but I think they would have been happier outside all day then inside. Tomorrow they'll go outside all day while I'm at work. Atleast the crate/brooder won't have to be cleaned as much for a bit!

 

[CAjerseychick]

Our coop/run isnt finished either (ordering snafu, or is it chicken math?) we are having to double the size of the coop--
wish me luck tonight the babies are off their heat lamp they are in their dog crate bedded in straw and with a moving blanket draped half way over the dog crate-- I have been waiting later and later to move them inside from their "tractor" (we have them in a cardboard furniture box its 4x5 ft with netting and one flap over the top) during the day and tonight I waited til 8:30pm and they were pretty much asleep in a corner-- easy to move into the dog crate-- I have it in my car LOL with the windows open about 6inches-- the garage is off the basement and it is seriously 10 degrees cooler then the house..or outside even so I wanted them to be warmer for them off the Lamp.... We will see... Night temps here are in the 50's for 2 more days then the heat hits and we are steady 90's daily with 60 degree nights.. SO they should be fine I am thinking ...Now it is on to coop integration....