When are they ready for the tractor?

[Rockhollow1009]

When is it okay to move the chicks to the chicken tractor? I have cornish crosses who are about 50% feathered... hatched March 1st. I'm going away thru next week and hoping the following they may be ready to get them out of the brooder pendong their feathering. I have younger chicks in with them and use a heat plate, which they dont fit under at this point. My brooders in an enclosed unheated shed. It will be upper 30's at night and 50-60s during the day outside. Of they have most of their feathers would they be okay to go outside while it's in the 30s at night? Obviously my adult chickens do fine but these are still youngins in my mind...

 

[Debbie292d]

I wouldn't put four-week-old chicks out there without heat. 30F is too low, especially since they aren't fully feathered.

We have silkies so they mature slower, but they don't go out into those temps until they are fully feathered at two months, and then have a cozy coop radiant heater in a hutch in their pen that they lay against at night and take breaks during the day to warm up.

I'd give them at least another week or two to get more feathered or for the temps at night to come up a little, unless you've got some type of heat source for them out there.

 

[Rockhollow1009]

I wouldn't put four-week-old chicks out there without heat. 30F is too low, especially since they aren't fully feathered.

We have silkies so they mature slower, but they don't go out into those temps until they are fully feathered at two months, and then have a cozy coop radiant heater in a hutch in their pen that they lay against at night and take breaks during the day to warm up.

I'd give them at least another week or two to get more feathered or for the temps at night to come up a little, unless you've got some type of heat source for them out there.

Thank you! What I wound up doing was used a large rubber made tote, lined it with Styrofoam insulation, cut a hole in it. And lined the bottom, one side and top with a waterproof reptile 66w heat pad then bed down with straw. They learned quickly yesterday how to go in and out if it and were cozy warm late last evening when I checked.

 

[Debbie292d]

Thank you! What I wound up doing was used a large rubber made tote, lined it with Styrofoam insulation, cut a hole in it. And lined the bottom, one side and top with a waterproof reptile 66w heat pad then bed down with straw. They learned quickly yesterday how to go in and out if it and were cozy warm late last evening when I checked.

Wow, ingenious idea!

I bet they're having fun today being outside!