When can they move outside?

[CBinTN]

Hello!
We are still new to having our chicks. They will be with us 3 weeks tomorrow. They are already getting a lot of feathers!
When is it safe for them to move into their outdoor coop? We are considering letting them get acclimated to the area, by moving their baby pen to the run area. We have electricity to the area, so we can still hang the heat lamp for night time.

Thank you for any advice.
Christina

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Short answer is when they are acclimated to your outdoor temperatures. If it's getting cooler where you are at you can use the heat lamp for a few more weeks, especially at night until they aren't sleeping under it or they are feathered enough.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

As power is available to provide transitional warmth and if theyll have a safe space if there are other birds in the coop already, they can go now. Heck mine are brooded in the coop from day one and integrate starting at the weeks, live with the flock fully by 4

 

[CBinTN]

Short answer is when they are acclimated to your outdoor temperatures. If it's getting cooler where you are at you can use the heat lamp for a few more weeks, especially at night until they aren't sleeping under it or they are feathered enough.

Thank you! We live in TN so it is still pretty warm here. Nights are a little cooler, that is only when we use the heat lamp now in the garage for them.

 

[CBinTN]

As power is available to provide transitional warmth and if theyll have a safe space if there are other birds in the coop already, they can go now. Heck mine are brooded in the coop from day one and integrate starting at the weeks, live with the flock fully by 4

These are our first ones, no others to get introduced to. Thank you!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Thank you! We live in TN so it is still pretty warm here. Nights are a little cooler, that is only when we use the heat lamp now in the garage for them.

I generally get mine out at 4 weeks without heat as I brood in June and temperatures run into the 80's during the day. Mine will sleep in a pile to share the warmth at night.

So I would move yours and if the coop is big enough provide night time heat for a week or so. Otherwise another thing I do is move them out during the day, than back to the brooder at night so they get used to their new area. After a week or so you can just leave them out there.

 

[Melky]

Thank you! We live in TN so it is still pretty warm here. Nights are a little cooler, that is only when we use the heat lamp now in the garage for them.

I weaned my brooder by 5 each week to 70 degrees and if they tolerated temp with active playtime (not all huddled under lamp all the time) and my night temp was above 70, I put them out at 4-5 weeks without heat source. They were feathered out by this time and did well. They cuddle together when want to nest or seek warmth.