time for outside

[Estatechicks]

My chickens are close to 7 weeks old, Feathers are coming in nicely. I have a coop I got at a local feed store that they have been in for the last 3 weeks in the house. I want to put them outside, but here (in Sheridan) the weather has been questionable. I have taken them outside to run in the yard and of course they love it. I am just wondering as a newbie, how warm should it be before I put the girls outside? They are buff orpingtons. The coop will be on the east side of the house, morning sun hitting it up until around noon or so. Any thoughts?? Sheridan folks??
Estatechicks

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

It's really a matter of personal choice.
We moved our girls out at about 5 weeks of age. They were fully feathered and I had taken the supplemental heat (light) off of them and started allowing the room they were in to become cool a week beforehand because their coop does not have electric and I wanted them to adjust to not "needing" that extra heat before I moved them out. They have been out for over a week now and the temps have ranged from 75 to 30 and they are happy, healthy chickens.
Also, many people brood outdoors or in unheated sheds/garages from day 1 - the use of supplemental heat allows the birds to be safe and warm even in a wide variety of temperatures and climates. The key thing is to eliminate drafts (most especially for new babies that aren't feathered out) and provide appropriate supplemental heat until the birds are showing you they no longer need it (feathered out and able to keep themselves warm).