What age can baby chicks go outside?

[Jolenes mom]

what age can you put baby chicks outside? Should you wait until there fully feathered? I have a outside brooder that has a heat lamp but right now it’s the middle of the winter and I don’t know it that will be enough heat. The brooder was a old rabbit hutch that has a big closed in part then in the other part it’s open and the wind can get in. Will they be too cold?

 

[rosemarythyme]

What's the current high/lows of ambient temperature? What are the temperatures inside with the lamp on? The open part of the hutch, can the unit be reoriented or can the opening be buffered or partially blocked off to mitigate any draft?

 

[BobStuart]

2/3 weeks old depending on temp. I am in Australia and it is warm here so may be different to you.

 

[igorsMistress]

What are your temperature highs and lows? How many chicks? Is this hutch out in the open or inside something else?

 

[Jolenes mom]

What are your temperature highs and lows? How many chicks? Is this hutch out in the open or inside something else?

The highs are around 70 and the lows are around 63. There is 7 chicks, the hutch is under our barn roof

 

[thecatumbrella]

I brooded my chicks in the 60 degree basement after their first few days (with a heat plate, of course). I'd feel really uncomfortable if the wind could get to them, even at that temp.

Curious to see what others think.

 

[rosemarythyme]

The highs are around 70 and the lows are around 63. There is 7 chicks, the hutch is under our barn roof

That's before adding the heat lamp? If so that's quite warm, there shouldn't be any issue as long as you manage drafts.

 

[Jolenes mom]

That's before adding the heat lamp? If so that's quite warm, there shouldn't be any issue as long as you manage drafts.

I don’t know why it auto corrected me the highs are about 64. And the lows are like 37. if I put a tarp over the wire so the wind can get in will it be warm enoug?

 

[rosemarythyme]

I don’t know why it auto corrected me the highs are about 64. And the lows are like 37. if I put a tarp over the wire so the wind can get in will it be warm enoug?

Don't tarp up too tightly so that there's no air, you want to buffer winds but there should still be ventilation available. As long as there's an part of the brooder large enough for the chicks to huddle that can maintain proper temperature (likely the section(s) away from the open sides) then you should be fine.

Like this is my brooder. During rain storms I would slant a piece of plastic greenhouse panel over the open wire section so rain and winds wouldn't get through, but air would still flow in under that without issue. As I use a mama heating pad, I had that in the section towards the right where the wall is solid, so it stays driest and warmest there. My lows were mid 40s with this set up.

 

[Jolenes mom]

Don't tarp up too tightly so that there's no air, you want to buffer winds but there should still be ventilation available. As long as there's an part of the brooder large enough for the chicks to huddle that can maintain proper temperature (likely the section(s) away from the open sides) then you should be fine.

Like this is my brooder. During rain storms I would slant a piece of plastic greenhouse panel over the open wire section so rain and winds wouldn't get through, but air would still flow in under that without issue. As I use a mama heating pad, I had that in the section towards the right where the wall is solid, so it stays driest and warmest there. My lows were mid 40s with this set up.
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poly

Ok ty so much! I’m going to put a heat plate or lamp inside the box part!