When can chicks go outside full time?

[junebuggena]

Just to put things in perspective, my broody hen stopped sleeping with her chicks when they were about 3.5 weeks old. That's the age when they have enough feathers to be somewhat insulated. Plus they all huddle together, and the combined body heat keeps them all nice and toasty warm. Overnight temps were in the mid 40s to low 50s. Heat lamp brooding significantly slows down the rate that chicks will feather in, and as a result, the chicks must be kept on heat for a longer period of time.

 

[Tortie]

Just to put things in perspective, my broody hen stopped sleeping with her chicks when they were about 3.5 weeks old. That's the age when they have enough feathers to be somewhat insulated. Plus they all huddle together, and the combined body heat keeps them all nice and toasty warm. Overnight temps were in the mid 40s to low 50s. Heat lamp brooding significantly slows down the rate that chicks will feather in, and as a result, the chicks must be kept on heat for a longer period of time. 

That's interesting. My older group is a variety and my younger chicks are all Americaunas which I use the light less on them. Comparing photos, the younger group seems to have more feathers. They sleep huddled together more than my variety flock.