Should I put my chicks outside?

[AmieD]

Hi,

I am in Central Georgia and a quick look at the projected temperatures has the lows in the 40's and highs in the 50's-70's until Christmas Eve. I have 3 Barred Rock chicks that are 6 1/2 weeks old and have been in the house without a light for a few weeks. I was thinking of moving them to the unheated garage tomorrow to keep them in there during the nights and put them outside in a run during the days so they can start blending in with the flock before moving them to the coops with the others. Do these temps seem okay for their ages? Thanks!

 

[azygous]

Yes, move them out! They are old enough. You've been acclimating them, and your temperatures in Georgia are very cooperative. I would skip the garage step, though. Too many changes make for stressed chicks. They can go directly into a coop and run.

 

[AmieD]

Yes, move them out! They are old enough. You've been acclimating them, and your temperatures in Georgia are very cooperative. I would skip the garage step, though. Too many changes make for stressed chicks. They can go directly into a coop and run.

Thanks!

 

[Wolfmoonct]

I have the same question, but I'm in CT and it's freezing cold here. Like upper 20's during the days and teens at night. We have 4 chicks inside. One is probably 6 weeks old or 7 weeks old. The other 3 are only like 3 - 4 weeks old. When I do put them out in the coop, I was going to put a heat lamp out there with them, as our coop has electricity run to it and I have some electrical outlets in it. The youngest do not have 100% of their feathers yet. Should I be keeping them inside for another couple weeks? We only got the youngest ones to keep the older one company inside since it's hatch mate didn't make it and we didn't want it alone inside.

 

[azygous]

I have the same question, but I'm in CT and it's freezing cold here. Like upper 20's during the days and teens at night. We have 4 chicks inside. One is probably 6 weeks old or 7 weeks old. The other 3 are only like 3 - 4 weeks old. When I do put them out in the coop, I was going to put a heat lamp out there with them, as our coop has electricity run to it and I have some electrical outlets in it. The youngest do not have 100% of their feathers yet. Should I be keeping them inside for another couple weeks? We only got the youngest ones to keep the older one company inside since it's hatch mate didn't make it and we didn't want it alone inside.

First of all, I would keep the chicks together if they've been together all along. Then I would start weaning them off heat, gradually exposing them to cooler temps. By the time the youngest are six weeks old, if they've been weaned off heat and have been doing well in cool temperatures, then move them all out to the coop.

You can lower the indoor temp or take them outside on field trips when you have calm days. Either method will introduce them gradually to cooler temps and then they should do just fine in a coop with no heat. At age three weeks, chicks usually don't need heat during the day, and only a small amount of heat during the night. If you use a lamp, install a 75 watt incandescent bulb in it, and get rid of the 250watt cooker, if that's what you're using.

Try to avoid heat lamps. They catch things on fire, including chickens, all too easily.