When are they ready to be outside

[GracieMaeThomas]

Good morning everyone,

My name is Gracie, new chicken mommy. I've had my little ones for 4 full weeks now, they have grown a lot but I'm still scared to leave them out in their coop. How do I know when they are ready to be out?

 

[azygous]

Chicks can go outside for short periods starting around two weeks. This helps to acclimatize them to cooler temps as well as provide more opportunity to flex their little growing bodies.

Beginning at the end of the first week, you should be weaning chicks off heat by reducing the temperature of the heated zone. By age three weeks, chicks should no longer require heat during the day as long as the ambient temperature is around 70F.

If you keep reducing the temperature of the heated zone, chicks should be well feathered around five weeks and they can go live in the coop with no heat if the night temps aren't below 50F, and if they're colder than that, minimal heat or a snuggle box should be all they need to get them the rest of the way weaned off heat.

 

[Mulegirl]

Chicks can go outside for short periods starting around two weeks. This helps to acclimatize them to cooler temps as well as provide more opportunity to flex their little growing bodies.

Beginning at the end of the first week, you should be weaning chicks off heat by reducing the temperature of the heated zone. By age three weeks, chicks should no longer require heat during the day as long as the ambient temperature is around 70F.

If you keep reducing the temperature of the heated zone, chicks should be well feathered around five weeks and they can go live in the coop with no heat if the night temps aren't below 50F, and if they're colder than that, minimal heat or a snuggle box should be all they need to get them the rest of the way weaned off heat.

Wow,thanks for the great information. I was wondering that myself.

 

[usmcpilot06]

I live in Indiana, I have 20 Rhode Island Reds, they are three weeks old. It is still in the 50's here. The chicks are in my garage until I get the barn cleaned up. O just bought the farm and the people that had it before me never cleaned the barn. Nothing but horse crap deeper than your boots. They are still pn a heat lamp at the moment but I have raised it higher this week. Ready to get them used to being out side but the weather will not cooperate. Only in the 40's today. 50's the rest of the week.