What age can they be left outside

[brianp]

I have some 7.5 week old chicks. Is it ok to leave them outside yet. I have a seperate 4 x 8 coop that has a 4x3 foot section with wall and a roof, but the front is not enclosed with wood so there would be somoe air flow. I can run a heat lamp out there if needed. Would it be ok to move them outside? I live in GA.

Thanks,
Brian

 

[catlady58]

Brian, I have some BO chicklets that are about the same age as yours. I am letting them be outside some as long as the weather isn't below 50. They are really doing well. Last night it was supposed to go down to 53, so I left them out for the first time and they seem to have enjoyed it, but I would like to hear what others say. They stay in a hay-surrounded pen at night, but I have been letting them into the 1600 sq ft chicken yard during the day. I sure hope this works out--they seemed to need more than they were getting in the house!

 

[Fred's Hens]

7.5 week old chicks are young adults, should be fully feathered, and require absolutely no heat whatsoever. If they have a chance to adjust over a few nice days/nights, when the stray cold night comes along, they'll be just fine. You are in Georgia!!!

Mother Hens kick them out of the nest long, long before this and offers them no heat lamps whatsoever.

 

[catlady58]

Brian-I am in the N. Ga mtns.

 

[HEChicken]

Oh my goodness, I've never kept them in that long and I'm in a colder climate than you! The longest I've kept any chicks indoors was 6 weeks and that was a batch that hatched in January and we had a particularly cold Feb/Mar. Nevertheless, they would outside full time by mid-March and had been spending quantities of time outdoors from the time they were 3 weeks old.

 

[AnaD]

Mine were outside by 4 weeks with a heatlamp for one week.

 

[maclady]

I have 4 7wk old Buff Orpington chicks that have been outside since Monday. They are doing great and really seem to like it better than the brooder they were in. Coop is definitely bigger. They were going out for the day as long as it was nice for quite awhile before that and I was turning off the heat lamp in the garage so they got use to no extra heat or light. Now if I can just get them to go into the coop at night and figure out the roost thing I will be all set. I really think your chicks will be fine outside now. i asked the same thing on here too!

 

[brianp]

Appreciate all the replies... Well guess I'll be moving them out of the brooder and into the mini coop this weekend

. Now when is it time to let them in with the big girls? My Buff O is ok around them, but the SL Wyandotte not so much. She squaks and pecks and them.

Thanks,
Brian

 

[Fred's Hens]

Brian, don't rush the integration. Little chicks lose that war!!! Do a lot of reading about "introducing" or "integration" here. For some, it works, for others, it's a nightmare of sorts. No rush.

 

[CrookedHalo09]

I just put my 6 week olds outside in their coop a few days ago. Temps have been in the upper 40s-50s, and they're doing just fine!