What is the absolute youngest age you can move brooder chicks to the coop?

[tinarose2001]

Mine are 6 weeks old, off the light and fully feathered out. I don't want to be too quick but they are outgrowing our makeshift brooder and I'm curious what the youngest age is that you've been succesful with transferring to the 'big girl' coop?

 

[sumi]

I moved my first ever batch of chicks out when they were barely a week old. BUT it was summer and our summers were hot. Even nighttime temperatures were around 80*-90*F. Move your chicks out to the coop and watch their behaviour when it gets cool. (Do not let them see you. They will yell their heads off demanding to be taken back inside to the brooder.) Watch their behaviour and see if they huddle together for warmth, dog piling on top of each other, chances are they are cold, if they spread out or just together comfortably they are fine. At this age and being fully feathered they should be able to handle cooler temperatures though.

 

[Bullitt]

Mine are 6 weeks old, off the light and fully feathered out. I don't want to be too quick but they are outgrowing our makeshift brooder and I'm curious what the youngest age is that you've been succesful with transferring to the 'big girl' coop?

Do you have older chickens in the coop?

If so, the chicks needs to be almost as big as the adult birds before they are put together.

 

[lilypad]

Hi

I started letting mine outside during the day at about 6 weeks, but still kept them inside at night until about 8 weeks.
Didn't let them move in the other chickens until they were around 18-20 weeks and on layers pellets x

 

[tinarose2001]

Yeah, I do have other chickens. That was my main concern. So I guess I have at least a month or more before they move out. I didn't time the purchase of these guys very well. I was hoping to move them out BEFORE the weather starts to get cold. Lesson learned.

 

[sumi]

You can move them out now, but hang on a bit before letting them mingle with the older flock members. If possible, partition off a section of the coop and/or run for them to stay in, separate, but within sight, for a few weeks while they adapt to being outside full time and get to know the older flock members. It is recommended that youngsters are more or less fully grown you can let them mingle with with the rest of the flock, but if they free range or if you have a really big run with place for the young ones to hide out if necessary, you can try and let them mingle a bit sooner. Don't try it too soon though, wait until they are around 3-4 months old.

 

[donrae]

What Sumi said. Get those things outside where they belong, just not in with the big girls yet. This is what chicken wire was made for! The chicks are big enough to go outside, just not big enough to go in with the big girls. So, partition and make some type of shelter for the littles, just depends on your set-up how you do this. I've used a rubbermaid tub on it's side as shelter, they've done just fine.