Too young for outdoor brooder?

[harice4806]

I have 8 chicks between 1 and 3 weeks old (had one pass and got a replacement chick). They're spending less time under the heat plate and quickly outgrowing the indoor brooder. If they have the heat plate still (which I have no intention of removing til they're fully feathered) would they be ok in the brooder I have built in my coop? In Upstate NY and still have some cooler nights. I think they'd be happier but I worry they're so little! Maybe daytime outside and back in at night for a few weeks?

 

[WhoDatChick]

I have 8 chicks between 1 and 3 weeks old (had one pass and got a replacement chick). They're spending less time under the heat plate and quickly outgrowing the indoor brooder. If they have the heat plate still (which I have no intention of removing til they're fully feathered) would they be ok in the brooder I have built in my coop? In Upstate NY and still have some cooler nights. I think they'd be happier but I worry they're so little! Maybe daytime outside and back in at night for a few weeks?

That sounds like what I’d do.. put out during the day and in at night if your nights are still pretty cold... just so I have peace... I know some on here will probably tell you it’s okay for them to be out always especially if you have a heat source for them still.. and I think it would fine too.. I think I moved mine out at three or four weeks with the heat light as at night it was still getting pretty cool.
But if you look around on here.. you will see some people put them out at day one so long as they have heat..

 

[Wyorp Rock]

You have brooder built into your coop and your not using it?? !!! LOL

If they have the heat plate and are protected from wind/elements, the I would put them in that outdoor brooder.
I brood chicks outside with a Mama heating pad (inside the grow out "house" protected from wind/elements), night temps have been in the 20s and chicks have been fine.

 

[harice4806]

You have brooder built into your coop and your not using it?? !!! LOL

If they have the heat plate and are protected from wind/elements, the I would put them in that outdoor brooder.
I brood chicks outside with a Mama heating pad (inside the grow out "house" protected from wind/elements), night temps have been in the 20s and chicks have been fine.

Haha I JUST built this for this batch of chicks. Then it got super cold and snowy/wet so I've kept them in the house! They're growing so fast but I'm a worry wart with the littles! It's 3 solid walls, bedding, heat plate will go out with them. Big feeder, 2 waterers. 3 DIY roosts of various sizes.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Haha I JUST built this for this batch of chicks. Then it got super cold and snowy/wet so I've kept them in the house! They're growing so fast but I'm a worry wart with the littles! It's 3 solid walls, bedding, heat plate will go out with them. Big feeder, 2 waterers. 3 DIY roosts of various sizes.

Only 3 walls LOL?
I tell you what you need here is a camera! I can see mine out the window but I still have a camera in the coop and one pointing at the run. I know, I know!!! haha! It does help to see what they are up to, especially when they are inside

 

[harice4806]

Only 3 walls LOL?
I tell you what you need here is a camera! I can see mine out the window but I still have a camera in the coop and one pointing at the run. I know, I know!!! haha! It does help to see what they are up to, especially when they are inside

Ok 3 solid walls and a hardware cloth wall and door! I may have to look into a camera...would definitely ease my mind and see how they interact with the big hens (through the barrier!).

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Ok 3 solid walls and a hardware cloth wall and door! I may have to look into a camera...would definitely ease my mind and see how they interact with the big hens (through the barrier!).

Sounds like a nice brooder setup! You have any photos you want to share?

 

[blackdog043]

You have a coop brooder and a plate, get them out there tomorrow and leave them out there, they will be fine and enjoy having extra room.

There are others on here that brood in the coop with cold climates, 20's for lows if I remember right. I brood in my coop, my lows were in the upper 30's at night and highs mid 50's, when they were a week old. My brooder is a dog x pen, with a dog crate also attached, no solid walls and my coop front windows are open. No drafts hit the chicks, they are along the back wall. I use the mama heat pad.

 

[CaramelKittey]

If you built them a coop that is protected from wind, rain, and water, they should be fine all day and brought in on colder nights. A general rule is that chicks can be taken from a heat lamp when they are fully feathered.
Sounds like you have a great coop set-up! Just finishing my coop in a few days for my 5-week old bantams!
Hope this helped!

 

[harice4806]

This is the set up in the coop. Only draft may be during the day when the door to the run is open for the big hens bc it's ground level. It's closed at night though.