Seattle is still cold, can I put my 8 week-olds out in their coop?

[hsdiaz]

It's a late spring in Seattle, highs in the 50's and lows in the 40's. Should get up to the 60's next week but may dip down a bit again. My 3 chicks are 8 weeks old and ready to go outside...and we're ready to have our bathroom back! They're all feathered out and flying around in their brooder, all perfectly healthy. Will they be all right outside in these temperatures?

 

[Imp]

Hi hsdiaz,

I'm in Renton

At 8 weeks they should be OK to go out. You may want to adjust them to the cool temps gradually, by taking them out for awhile daily for a few days.

Imp- hoping we ever see 60's again.

 

[silkiechicken]

By this time of year, my 6 weekers would have lost their heat after being brooded outside the whole time. Your spoiled babies.

ETA: Imp, every time I see "the other Washington" I wonder, what other Washington would one be from? LOL

 

[Imp]

Quote:
They used to refer to Washington State as the "other Washington" on the local news casts. (Back when Jean Enerson was young.

) It was referring to the assumption the Washington could only refer to D.C., not the backwater state, somewhere out west somewhere.

Imp

 

[mcjessen]

We put our almost 6 wk old girls outside in the run yesterday afternoon for an hour - it was 60 degrees - awesome! We keep the coop in the garage and we switched the heat lamp for a regular lamp. We also shut the light off over night last night. They were not to happy about no light. LOL!

DH just called and said they were peeping like crazy when he went to check on them - they want out of the coop. So, apparently we are putting them out permanently this weekend. We'll monitor the temps - more than likely the heat lamp will go back in. Our over nights are in the upper 30's to low 40's.

Everyone here is so sick of this cold, dreary weather. Come on Spring/Summer!

BTW, at 8 weeks I would think your chicks would be fine outside. YEAH!

 

[hsdiaz]

I hope we see the 60's eventually as well! We keep getting teased with one nice day then a week of cold/rain. We stopped using the heat lamp a couple weeks ago and they've been fine, but they have been inside the house--and yes, they're already spoiled rotten . I'll open the window in the bathroom to help get them acclimated, and put them out bit by bit, thanks for that advice. They did get to go outside last week on a nice sunny day, and they loved it so I know they're eager to get back out there!

 

[Hinotori]

Im an hour SSE of Seatle and my 12 EEs have been out in their big mobile coop for three and a half weeks. With 12 of them it was getting to tight in their brooder. I ran an extention cord for heat for about a week and a half and reduced the amount down to no heat in that time. I adjust the ventilation amount based on temp. We were still frosting up until a week ago. They are were fully feathered when I moved them out. I kept them in about four days then started allowing them in a run a few hours a day, increasing each day. I just open their door in the morning now and they put themselves to bed at night. They go in when the heavy rain comes down and come out when it lightens. Most still sleep in a pile but two have perched the last few nights.

My silkies are coming up on four weeks soon and will be going out to their coop soon. I'll be giving them heat until they are used to temps too. They were out in a small cage enjoying the sun and grass yesterday.

 

[hsdiaz]

Quote:
I know what you mean, the first night we turned the light out on them they went nuts! Now it just takes them a few minutes to calm down and go to bed. We used one of those ceramic heat emitters that people use for reptile cages and it worked out well and allowed them to get used to normal light/dark hours. We did have a small light on in the bathroom since the days here are pretty dark, but they've been in complete darkness at night since they were a few weeks old.

 

[KlaHaYa Gardens]

I guess I raise wimpy birds. I lost two when I put them out. The rest are now in the greenhouse for a few more weeks. (It gets really wet where I am. Our Washington and our many micro climates.)

 

[hsdiaz]

Quote:
Yesterday was so beautiful but unfortunately I was gone all day so they didn't have the chance to go outside! I feel bad for them...I know they're getting sick of staring at the walls of their brooder. I'm glad to know that they'll go in their coop when it rains, we plan to let them run around the yard for a few hours each day since they'll destroy everything (our lot is only 6,500 sq ft). Their coop is plenty roomy and the run is covered too, so I think they'll be able to stay nice and dry.