When can my chicks go outside?

[jmike]

OK, my chicks are six weeks old and still in a brooder, in the house. So can I turn the heat off or not its at least 70 in here. Also I am in Texas last night it got down just under 40 degrees I keep one 250 watt brooder lamp on in both my coops for whom ever wants it. Can the chicks go out side, or is that still to cold for them?

Mike

 

[Tuffoldhen]

Your chicks won't be fully feathered out til they are 8 to 10 weeks old...if taken to the coop you will still need a draft free spot or brooder to keep them in and a heatlamp.....95 degrees is recommended for the chicks first week dropped by 5 degrees each week after......they chill easy so 40 degrees is too cold at night without a heatlamp on them..

In the house you could turn the heatlamp off at that age.....I do....I just use a 100 or 60 watt bulb inside my brooder box in the house....

 

[jmike]

Well I'm ready to get them suckers outta here so I can fill it up again!

 

[Wildsky]

40 degrees at night! I'll move into your coop! we're lucky to get that in the day time!

I put my girls out when they were around 8 or 9 weeks, but it was still warm then, I did keep them on my patio for a couple of weeks as they got too big for the brooder and the house!

How many chicks do you have? more will keep each other warm as well...... why don't you leave the heat lamp off for a night in the house and keep an eye on them.

But yeah I'd keep them indoors for another week or two.

 

[MissPrissy]

They are not fully feathered and won't be able to keep themselves warm in a coop at 40 degree nights. If you have to move them out put a heat lamp out there, make sure it is secure and dust free, give them a place out of drafts but where they have plenty of room to move around and they should be okay. Don't put them out in a coop with older chickens or they will end up hurt or dead from being picked on and bullied.

 

[jmike]

Well I have two coops, I might as well build another. Kinda like a holding coop with heat.

 

[Tuffoldhen]

yep!!..We call those grower pens!....lol

 

[jmike]

I call it going from a duplex to a complex!

 

[Nicky262626]

Hi

My chicks are 7 weeks old ( Just the 3 off them) they have been out side for the last week during the day, temperature has been 38/40 degrees

At night i bring them in doors No heat lamp, just the heating in the house.

They are fine during the day, infact they seem to want to go out in the morning and get some fresh air, even if there is still a lil frost !

However, they do like to come in at night and get snuggled ! or maybe i think they do lol

Id be cold out there at night. one thing i have found is that their body temperature seems to hold itself now, whn i bring them in, altho the outside temperature is cold they r very warm, Infact i thought one had poo ppod on me when i picked him up ( felts some thing warm on my hand) but it wasnt, it was his feet!

Hope this helps

Nicky

 

[brghtii]

Okay I am new to this and I thought I could keep my chicks in longer but I have lost my brain. I have 12 chicks all different ages. They range from 1+ week to about 3+. I have a mix of kinds too. BO (1), EE (4), Black sexlinks (2), Barred Rock (2), Jersey giant (1), Legorn (1) and oh boy I'm missing one. Poor thing!!! I currently have them in a big tub but I built a brooder looks like a rabbit hutch that is 4X2 (inside) and 30" high in front and 24" in back. I had planned putting it in my furnace room. We run a pellet stove and don't run the furnace. I have a heat lamp for them. It is in the 40-50s in that room. I am in Utah and it is still quite cold at night (20-30).

My question is....can I put the brooder outside with the heat lamp or do I need to keep them inside longer? I have a 125W bulb currently. My husband is worried about the furnace room and my kids. The furnaces (2) are open. currently the tub doesn't interfere with the furnaces. With the brooder, it will be closer to the electricity. So I'm trying to find a better home. I was thinking on my front porch facing the house so the wind doesn't blow in. OR is that just too much "draft" for the young ones? I'm worried about pecking when I put them back together if I separate them. Right now they all get along. What would you do? Are they too young to be outside in the hutch/brooder even with a heat lamp? I suppose I can put it in the garage but it is really cramped and is often cooler than outside (strange I know) but it is all cement (3 sides).

Shelley (a newbie!!)

***I tried to post a link to my blog that has my hutch picture but I'm apparently too new. So picture a hutch with a wire front and door. It stands 42" high in front and 36" high in back. Internal is 48X24