When can my chicks go outside?

[Sfried098]

My chicks are 6 weeks old and I was wondering when I can move them outide to the coop? It still cold during the day and in the evening, but will they be okay if we put a heat lamp out there?

 

[Poultry keeper12]

Give them until 15 weeks.

 

[nerfworthy]

I plan to kick mine out to the coop at around 5 weeks.

 

[blackdog043]

Have you weaned them off of all heat and for how long?
Have you had them outside in the cooler weather?
Where are they kept now and what is the temperature where they are.

 

[PachecoPeeps]

Our chicks were off the heat at 3 weeks and outside at 5 weeks In their coop/run with no extra heat but it’s been in the 70-80 during the day 40-50 at night.

 

[azygous]

@blackdog043 and @PachecoPeeps have some excellent points. Ideally, you are weaning chicks off heat starting at the end of their first week, reducing the heat each week.

By the time chicks are three weeks old, they no longer need heat during the day as long as the ambient temp is mild, around 25C or 70F. The reason for this is they have enough feather covering at this stage to prevent losing body heat at these temps.

You can help wean them off heat and help them to acclimate to cooler temps at the same time by taking them outside for playtime during the warm part of the day as long as there is no chill wind blowing. I usually begin this when chicks are two weeks old, gradually increasing the time they get to stay outside before needing to go back in to warm up.

If you wean chicks off heat and gradually expose them to cooler temps, they can move into the coop around six weeks when they're fully feathered.