What's too young to go outside?

[Lucy4]

My chicks will be a month old at the end of this week, which is the time we anticipate finishing the coop/run. If I put a heat lamp out there, could they at least spend their days out there?

We live in Putnam, NY. Upper 50's during the day, significantly colder at night.

I don't mind having them in the house. But they're definitely outgrowing their brooder. And we live in a small house, so they're in the bedroom. DH? Not amused much. I'm trying to placate him...

"But honey, they're sooo cute! And such good entertainment for the kids!"

"They're noisy. And that red light bothers me. And I feel like they're watching me all the time."

 

[aidenbaby]

I'm probably going to do the same as you. However until they need around the same temp as what the current weather is, they'll be locked in the coop (it's 3x3 for 2 standards and 2 bantams). I am planning to install a heat lamp out there.

I think to be left in the coop without any heat they have to have ALL their feathers in.

 

[Quella]

I started letting my two chicks outside at two weeks old. True, I'm in Washington and in NY it's probably colder but your chicks are four weeks old. Four weeks definitely sounds good to me. I also didn't put out any heat lamp, everyone says that they'll tell you when they want to go back inside, and they just get tired after a while, that's when you bring them back in.

 

[silkiechicken]

I live in the PNW... I put the chicks out on day one/2 when they here. They have a non insulated heated brooder with one or two heat lamps in March... So in other words, if you can ensure they have food, water and heat, they can't be too young to be outside.

 

[horsefeathers09]

I live in Phoenix, right now it is still 40's at night, I have 5 5wk old babies in a coop covered with a tight fitting tarp and lots of shavings in nest boxes. They have a heat lamp in the corner, but seldom do I see them under it. They have been there since they were two weeks old.

 

[guesswhatchickenbutt]

Quote:
I'm a total newbie, so take my advice with a grain of salt, but I don't think chicks need to be fully feathered to be in a coop without heat. I think it depends a lot on your outside temperature. It was 92 here when we got our newbie chicks and I don't think they need feathers to be in 92 degree heat. It's the mid-80s this week and mine are outside during daylight hours and they're about 2 1/2 weeks old.

 

[ladeefire]

My girls went outside today into their coop (posted pics) theya re 4 weeks old and they have a heat lamp and a heater its about 70 in the coop. Outside temp is 40 right now (cold front).

 

[gritsar]

My chicks were in an unheated but draft free shed from day one last April. The first week they had a heater and heat lamps, after that just the heat lamps.
I agree with silkiechicken. In a draft free enclosure with heat, food and water and they're never too young.

 

[aidenbaby]

Guesswhatchicken - I think you are absolutely right. If it were 90ish here consistently, mine would be outside, too, without a lamp. Here in Colorado, though, the temperature just isn't regular or warm until later in the year. We can have blizzards even in May/June. Ex. Yesterday lows 50's in temp with winds, today low 40's with rain, tomorrow mid 60's and sunny. Then the weather is warm for 2 days up to mid 70's and then drops to mid 50's again on Thursday with more rain. It can be rather maddening.

 

[Lucy4]

Thanks for all the replies, folks! Very reassuring. Looks like they'll be heading out there in a week or so then... at least for the days. I'm nervous about the nights. My friend just lost 5 hens from a fox attack the other day. All in less than 5 minutes! It's our first coop. I hope we've made it safe enough.