Temperature for moving chicks outside

[elight23]

I have two 6 week old chicks, an Ancona and an Orpington, who are mostly to completely feathered out. The day time highs where I live are about 59-64 and at nights it's in the low 40's. When can I put these two chickens into their coop? It will be just the two of them in their coop.

TIA

Seattle, Wa

 

[2-dimples]

HI fellow washingtonian! I put my birds who are now 7 weeks old, out to the coop last weekend and they are doing just fine. I have a fenced in run and a small 4x2 hen house that they go in at night. I moved the heat lamp with a 100 watt bulb into the hen house to keep them warm at night, but I plan to take that out in another week or so. They might even be fiine without it, but I wanted to play it safe, since I'm new to this too.

As long as they have been slowly acclimated to cooler temperatures you should be fine, especially since they are pretty much feathered out. Good luck!

 

[Tuffoldhen]

Just to be safe I would add that heatlamp bulb too...they won't fully feather til 8 to 10 weeks and can still chill..with this wacky weather...We had snow and sleet here Monday and Tuesday...brrrr...

 

[elight23]

When can I put them out without any lamp? I only have one lamp and my other 3 week old chicks still use it. I have had a hard time finding out what is a minimum day and night temp for chicks. They will be 7 weeks in a few days. The coop is sort of like a raised wooden house shaped dog house and is pretty well protected from the wind.

Thanks

 

[Acre of Blessings]

If it is protected from the cool weather they will be fine. Just fix them a pile of shavings in a corner to snuggle together in for the night and they will be O.K. Can you run a lond drop cord out there and take an old lamp and attach it to the wall or floor so they won't tip it overt and that will help calm any nervousness you may have.

 

[pattee]

I too am from Washington~and I say where is Spring?????

I think it's too cold up here to leave my chicks out they are a week old, and I have a very closed up chicken coop. They are in my bathroom, and I love them in the house! Oh no!

 

[Davaroo]

8 weeks is the generally accepted point for moving outside. But this isnt a hard rule.
Once they have their hard, shell feathers and can sleep comfortably at night huddled together, then they should be okay.

I start hardening mine off at least as early as 6 weeks.

 

[dedeye]

I too am from Washington~and I say where is Spring?????

I think it's too cold up here to leave my chicks out they are a week old, and I have a very closed up chicken coop. They are in my bathroom, and I love them in the house! Oh no!

LOL! I have my three week old ones in my spare room. They are going to be the most people friendly chicken on the planet!

 

[newwestchick]

My last batch I moved outside at 3 weeks, with the heat lamp in the coop. Once they figured out how to get in/out of the coop door and to the warm spot (a few days) that was the end of me having to supervise them! I did have 23 though so it was easy for them to pile up and follow one another around and learn the ropes. My personal feeling is that fresh air is good for them, and they're meant to live outdoors.

My broody hatched a few chicks last summer and I have to say I was totally shocked at how little time they spent under her. Just a few days in the beginning, then she had them out all day and they only very periodically went for a warm up. Overnight they snuggled in the straw. Was enlightening for me!

I'll probably put the ones in my incubator (due this week!!) outside into a brood box after a week - with a heat lamp - at that point they'll be agile enough to bop around in the secured cage and see the other chickens

 

[dedeye]

My last batch I moved outside at 3 weeks, with the heat lamp in the coop. Once they figured out how to get in/out of the coop door and to the warm spot (a few days) that was the end of me having to supervise them! I did have 23 though so it was easy for them to pile up and follow one another around and learn the ropes. My personal feeling is that fresh air is good for them, and they're meant to live outdoors.

My broody hatched a few chicks last summer and I have to say I was totally shocked at how little time they spent under her. Just a few days in the beginning, then she had them out all day and they only very periodically went for a warm up. Overnight they snuggled in the straw. Was enlightening for me!

I'll probably put the ones in my incubator (due this week!!) outside into a brood box after a week - with a heat lamp - at that point they'll be agile enough to bop around in the secured cage and see the other chickens

How cold is it where you live? I am in Alaska and currently it is in the 40's during the day and low 30's during the night. I was thinking of putting two heat lams out there. My chicks will be 4 weeks old next Monday....