They have GOT to get outside...

[Dragynnechick]

My girls are 5 weeks old today and are in my office... I'm a full-time grad student and HAVE to get in there... the dust is overwhelming, no matter how often I clean it in there... So the point of my extended whining session is this....CAN THEY GO OUT YET??? Minnesota is a goofy state, and we're expecting highs of low 50s and lows of 40s... FOR ANOTHER WEEK. The coop is an insulated dog house, 4x6' and hasn't got electrical to it yet, but we could bring it there... can I do it??? Can they go outside and stay in the coop? I am imagining that its too cold still for playing in the run... But, next week looks to get up to the 70s...

Any thoughts??
I'm going NUTS!

 

[The Chicken People]

Personally I would give it a week or two more but have them outside during the day and in at night!

 

[BeccaOH]

If your nights are still frosty, then they will be cold. Can you put a heat lamp in the coop? I moved some 4-5 week olds out to a coop where they are in an upper cage area. Heat rises and there are several chicks to huddle together. So far so good, but we haven't had frost in a week.

Or, can you move the brooder to a garage where electric is still easily accessed? I had mine in the garage for brooding and the dust in there is terrible, but I had like 200 chicks at one time.

 

[newchicksnducks]

My 3rd group of the summer went out at 4 weeks...we just couldn't stand the dust any longer! I did use a heat lamp though. I did not have electricity out yet to the coop (love it now tho!) so I ran an extension cord from the garage to the coop. They did just great!

 

[lorieMN]

mine are outside as soon as they dry off,in a coop,with a heat lamp,I just run an extension cord..

 

[pdsavage]

Quote:
Thats what i do,unless i have one or 2 that needs watching...

 

[MelissaR]

I put my 3 week old out about 2 weeks ago. They have a heat lamp and a draft-free enclosure.

 

[countrychix]

Mine went out to the coop last week at 3 and 4 weeks of age with a heat lamp. There are days that I didn't need it at all and had the windows opened up and others where I had the coop shut up tight to keep the warmth in. I just couldn't take all that dust either... not to mention that I could no longer enter my laundry room to do wash, or much of anything else as I had 2 brooders and a crate with an injured bird in there and no floor space left. I'd put them out and adjust the lamp to a height where the temperaure would remain comfortable for them(use your thermometer), but that's just me.

 

[ChickenFamilyof5]

I'm in Canada and just moved my 5 week olds outside today got sick of them in the house. Just ran an extention cord and put my heat lamp in there for the nights and cold days.