Think chicks can move outside yet?

[cjweaver13]

I have 16 chicks that turned 4 weeks old today are are living in a large watermelon box in the upstairs garage where it's been consistently around 70-80°f.

When would you say it's safe to move to the outside enclosed coop? I'm in Northeast Pennsylvania and the foreseeable future says nights will be anywhere between 60-70° with days ranging in the 70-80s. There's no electronic out there so id have to run an extension cord, but can if needed for an overhead plate style heater.

 

[Whatthecheep]

Hi, I am also in NEPA. I just moved my little 3 weeks and 6 weeks into the coop yesterday. They have a heat plate if they need it, but the coop (actually its part of a shed we have) stays pretty warm (I have a fan blowing in there as we have older chickens as well that use it), and I haven't seen them under the plate in a week (they were in a brooder in my garage). I have been keeping a close watch on them and they are doing fine, super happy for the extra space! We had a tornado warning last night, and of course I freaked out a bit and almost brought them back in... I think I was more terrified than they were .

 

[Yardmom]

They look like their feathered pretty well. They should be fine outside at those temperatures.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Yep. I move mine out at three weeks. Days mid 80s, overnight low to mid 70s. I've been doing it since the days were 70s and the nights were 60s. Yours seem well feathered. As long as their overnight coop is well ventilated and draft free, they should be fine.

 

[GC-Raptor]

I put my chicks in the coop 4 weeks ago at 4.5 weeks old.
Temps were forecast to drop to the low 40s F/5 C a couple of days later.
I hooked up a heat lamp with a plug-in dimmer switch for the two nights. They did fine.
Sixty degrees overnight for 4 weeks old should not be a problem in a well ventilated draft free coop.

5 of 8 Pullets at 2 months old.

GC

 

[3KillerBs]

Since they seem to be fully-feathered they should be fine outside without heat.

 

[Sally PB]

I moved my 5 week old chicks out a few days ago; there is no heat in my coop. Nights are in the low to mid 60s here. They do have a "huddle box" that they gather in at night.