Too soon to move to in-coop brooder?

[AwesomeFacer]

Hi, all: I have 16 chicks (mainly buff orps and 3 randos) that are between 1-2 weeks old. We've had them a week, and they're feathering out in the wings and are juuuust starting tail feathers, and they've started hopping and flapping their wings.

We have a set up for a brooder in the coop In an old barn - a red light with a shield hung low - and no one else in the coop right now. They've outgrown the plastic tub brooder already, and I want to move them to the coop this weekend: we're near Rochester NY, and it's 60s-80s during the day with the occasional dip into the high 40s at night.

Here's a pic from a day ago...

When is it reasonable to move them to the in-coop brooder?

 

[gander007]

Here do this test get the brooder going out in the barn with a thermometer and go out at 3 in the morning and check the temp and if you are satisfied with the temp and it should read at least 85 F for now then drop them in the barn tomorrow but make sure there is no drafts in the barn and if so block it off some how .....




My brooder out in the barn but it gets down to about 75 F
in the coldest part of the night .....





Mine are out in the barn from day one ..... or hatch ....

 

[donrae]

I don't think there's much difference between being in a barn and in a coop. As long as you can run a light out there for them for another few weeks, they'll be fine.

 

[AwesomeFacer]

Thanks for the advice: that's a solid plan. The light is hung a good 5 ft off the ground, but I know chicks were in here last summer. Good news is the light works and after 5-10 minutes the space under the light is warmer than the rest of the coop. I'll keep the chicks inside another day, but turn on the light tonight around dusk and check the coop temp round 3am.

Here's the rig:

 

[gander007]

Thanks for the advice: that's a solid plan. The light is hung a good 5 ft off the ground, but I know chicks were in here last summer. Good news is the light works and after 5-10 minutes the space under the light is warmer than the rest of the coop. I'll keep the chicks inside another day, but turn on the light tonight around dusk and check the coop temp round 3am.

Here's the rig:

Sounds like a solid plan ....

That is a good looking setup ....

Let us know how it is working tomorrow

 

[AwesomeFacer]

Moved everyone out to the coop today. They love it.

 

[gander007]

Alright nothing like freedom for the little guys

 

[AwesomeFacer]

I ended up turning on a heat light only about a foot from the ground last night instead of using the already-in-coop light (which will be perfect once they're a little bigger). This morning they were snuggled up, but not piled up and in their box, which acted like a draft guard. I decided to leave the light on today, so they have a warm spot and places to explore that are cooler. All in all, moving them to the in-barn coop and in-coop brooder at about 2 weeks old was just fine.

 

[Bean789]

I have 6 - 6 week old chicks with 4 - 6 week old guineas in the brooder now. They have outgrown the brooder for sure but they are outside in a portable chicken run during the day. I have a small coop that might house them all for a few more weeks but no power to the coop. Temp at night is dropping to around 72-75 depending on rain/no rain and the morning dew can be pretty heavy here in Florida this time of year. Can they go outside in the small coop without heat for now?