soon to be 4 weeks old -- wife wants them outside

[shaggy]

we've had a cold snap --- it got down to 65 degree's at night

very very unusual --- usually never drops below 70 degree's and on average is 80 degree's by 7am

my chicks are about to be 4 weeks old --- their necks are just feathering out --- they still have fuzz on their chest and backs --- but i can tell that is starting to come off

the wife wants them outside ASAP ... i wouldn't mind getting them outside soon too

.... i can't move them to the garage because our dryer is in there and i don't want the chicks developing respiratory issues

 

[briteday]

If you don't feel comfortable putting them in the coop with a light for heat during the night I would at least put them outside during the day.
I had mine in the coop and run during the day from about 3 weeks of age on. And this past weekend (they were a bit over 5 weeks old and almost fully feathered) I put them in the coop full time. They haven't been under the lamp and it has been in the 60's at night here. So we moved the lamp to just one end at night. They huddle a bit for warmth but have been very chipper and acting normally.

 

[fshinggrl]

I put our 4 week olds out and we have lows in the 40's. We do use a heat lamp at night, but during the day it would sometimes only get up to 60 degrees. They were fine. If you question it, put a light bulb out there with them.

 

[Jacob42]

I had mine outside yesterday at 4 weeks. Outside for 2 hours and loved it, but it was almost 80, today only 50 and I dont know if I should put them out or not, Any ideas? Overnight temp is low 40's so I will prolly bring them inside, but no heat lamp in here, it is in coop now but i dont know if they are ready for that

 

[gritsar]

Can you outfit your coop with a heat lamp for nighttime?
I brooded my chicks outside. They had two heat lamps to start with. At two and half weeks old they were living on the screened porch - still had two heat lamps. By four weeks old they were down to one heat lamp. At five they only had heat lamps at night. At 5 and a half weeks we turned their heat lamp off for good. They were hatched April 9th, so five and a half weeks would have made it mid-May.

 

[Im4dabirds]

I've put mine out for a couple of hours at a time over the past week and they love it. They're only 2 1/2 weeks old. Our temps took a plunge from the normal 70-80 of this time of year to the 50's this week. Even feels cold to me! But they don't seem to mind at all. They love being out and scratching around in the dirt. Every little while I'll see them all gather up for a few minutes, then they're off again.

 

[Jacob42]

yes I can put heat lamp outside but I am in Minnesota and its a bit colder than arkansas. Do you think it would be too cold with one light at 40 degrees?

 

[Chicken Fruit]

I would put them out, you can always set up the heatlamp so it points low in one corner of the coop at night. They'll be fine.

My chicks were outside at 4 weeks and it was still freezing at night. I think most people put them out of the house by then.

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
Sorry Jacob, I was looking at Shaggy's location of Texas when I replied.

 

[FisherMOM]

I'm in NY.... My chicks have been outside in a dog crate with a 100 watt bulb since they were one week old. It gets down in the 30's here at night. You are worried about 65??? 65 is a nice DAY here.

They'll be FINE!