When can chicks live outside w/o heated shelter?

[Percheron chick]

Mine would of been out in the barn weeks ago off heat. Start making the transition. Start by turning off the heat in the brooder during the day. If the are good, turn the heat down or off at night. There is warmth in numbers so keep all 6 until they are fully acclimated to outside temps. Put them out in the coop on a warm day them leave them out. No heat. They will be fine.
Utah is beautiful. The section of I 70 W out of Green River has always been a place I have wanted to ride. One day...

 

[Grannybug]

Hello and welcome to BYC!!
Regarding putting the chicks outside, it all really depends on the weather in your area. I live in NY and I always keep my chicks in the brooder until they are at least 6-8 weeks old with lots of feather growth to keep them warm. I then put them outside with a heat lamp and they seem to do just fine! If you live in a warmer area, a heat lamp may not be needed if you worry about the chicks overheating.

Thank you. I imagine our weatherMAY be warmer than yours but is it still too cold w/lows in the 40's at night? They are pretty heavily feathered (in my amateur opinion) w/long pretty tailfeathers & thick brown wing feathers. But with no heat, it may be too soon. Where are you in NY?

 

[Grannybug]

Hi and welcome to BYC. Other members are better placed to advise than myself. Here are some helpful links:

• Great go-to resource - Articles
• Insightful feedback on how members manage their flocks - Topic of the Week back-catalogue
• How to start a new thread
• Find other BYC members nearby using the links in my signature, below (turn your phone to landscape to see them).

Best wishes

Pork Pie

Thank you! That is a big help.

 

[Grannybug]

Mine would of been out in the barn weeks ago off heat. Start making the transition. Start by turning off the heat in the brooder during the day. If the are good, turn the heat down or off at night. There is warmth in numbers so keep all 6 until they are fully acclimated to outside temps. Put them out in the coop on a warm day them leave them out. No heat. They will be fine.
Utah is beautiful. The section of I 70 W out of Green River has always been a place I have wanted to ride. One day...

Good info! Their heat in the basement is just a red lamp now well above the water trough (heavy plastic) my DIL lent me to house them. I can start turning it off during the day. There is a piece of fleece over 3/4 of the trough to hold in some heat.
Wenever we go to Arches it's our custom to eat at the ChowHound in Green River. It was there when my kids were little & now their kids
know to stop there too. Green River grows the world's best melons. Do you mean "ride a horse" or "ride in a car?" That whole area is fascinating in my opinion.

 

[Grannybug]

Welcome to Backyard Chickens lots of us are retired with chickens
You have come to right place this is a wonderful community

Thamks!

 

[Grannybug]

What are you using for heat in the brooder?

Do you have a heat pad that doesn’t auto-shut off? You can make a mother heating pad based off the article on @Blooie page. Lots of the stuff you need you probably already have at home! Or a heat lamp from the brooder?

I would not put them out for the nights with no extra heat source just yet. I’m assuming if day temps are only about 40-45, it’ll be way colder at night!

No, the lows are in the 40s, highs 70-80 at present. I have only a red bulb heat lamp so far for heat & it would not fit in the enclosed part of the hen house. I will look at the references article, thank you!

 

[Grannybug]

Welcome to BYC Grannybug, thanks for joining us!

Thank you!

 

[Grannybug]

Hello, and Welcome to BackYard Chickens!

Thank you!

 

[viennaproto]

I am in Westchester, NY! They seem pretty ready to go outside to me! Feathers keep them very warm and with a heat lamp in there, they should be very happy.

 

[Percheron chick]

Ride a horse of course.
You can feel the history of the westward migration in the cliffs. It would be cool to live part of that.