When can they go out

[doxpeople]

Hi all, I raised chicken 15 years ago and have forgotten more than I want to think. I have a nice group of hens that will be 7 weeks old this week. Our daytime temps will be in the 70's and the night will be in the low 40's. Currently they are in the garage and they are getting a little bored (insert tearing their pen apart). Outside they have a draft free coop that I will put deep litter in and a 250 watt heat lamp for night times. Is it time for them to go outside to their new digs? Thanks in advance hopefully things will start to come back to me as I go.

 

[Tala]

With a draft free coop and a 250 watt bulb they could have been outside weeks ago!

Mine have been out since 2 weeks old with a doghouse coop and a 150watt bulb. Although it hasn't gotten below 50 degrees here, it HAS rained 13"

 

[gritsar]

Hi and welcome to BYC!
Yep, sounds like your chickens are ready to move out to the coop. If you are still using a heat lamp inside, you might want to start weaning them off of it now. They won't need it past eight weeks.

 

[Barry]

At 7 weeks they could be out in their coop without a heat lamp.

 

[gritsar]

I think the important thing to remember is what you don't want to do. You don't want to take them from a brooder that's been kept warm and toasty at say, 75 degrees, and thrust them out into a coop that's 50 degrees.