When do I put my peeps outside in the coop

[swampman]

Guys, this is my first post here.

I got 16 RI Red peeps on April 1st. They are healthy and fun to watch. I have them in a plastic storage tub with a hardware cloth cover and a heating lamp to keep them warm

I am building the coop as we speak and was wondering when I put the chicks in the coop. They will start to outgrow the storage tub in a week and I have set up a second tub so there are 8 per tub.

Again, the question is when do I put them in the coop. BTW, the coop will be 6'X8' and the fenced run will be 25' x 15'.

I live on three acres and I want to free range my girls, but our neighbor in the back has two un-spayed boxers that are held in check with an electronic fence. These are not nice dogs and I am sure that they will kill any of my girls that wander onto their land.

 

[acid_chipmunk]

Where do you live and how cold does it get at night? Will your coop be insulated? Most people say not to put them in the coop until they are fully feathered, or about 8 weeks old. However, if it doesn't get that cold at night where you are, and/or you have insulation you could put them out sooner. Also, you can put the brooder light in the coop to keep them warm if you must mover them outside.


Hope this helps!

 

[nanawendy]

Pictures...chicks and coop!!! Yeah, you can move them out but keep them warm until completely feathered out. I wouldn't free range until they are totally connected to coop and run. and HAVE FUN

 

[swampman]

Quote:
I live in central pa, near State College, and it will get down to 34degrees tonight. I figure that I will coop them at 4 weeks, but close everything off and keep the heat lamp on full time. They are getting too big for even two tubs in two weeks.

 

[Want Less]

Mine are nearly 4 weeks old and they will be in the coop in about a week. They are outgrowing their brooder fast, so we are going to install the heat lamp in the henhouse temporarily.

 

[newchicksnducks]

yeah, once you get the coop finished, you can move your girls out there as long as you have a heat lamp on. We live in NE Ohio, and our girls did fine when we moved them outside at 5 weeks with the heat lamp on. We did not have electricity in the coop at first, so we just used landscaping electric cords run from the garage to the coop to run the heat lamp. If the coop is very large, you could temporarily make a smaller section out of plywood or even cardboard to keep the girls in a more confined area and to help hold in the heat in that area. Good luck with your babies, and welcome!

 

[Mervin]

Quote:
Swampman, I'm glad you asked. I'm pretty closed to you--I'm in Howard--and was wondering the same thing. I have a couple more weeks though, as mine were a week old Yesterday. They love to be out of the brooder (I let them run around the kitchen floor for 15-20 minutes to stretch their legs). So, I was already thinking about upgrading to a refrigerator box, but maybe I'll just push to get the coop done and electric out to it instead.

 

[Wizbop]

Mine are 6 weeks old today and are spending their days in the run of the coop (they don't have the sense to really get up in the coop yet) and we are bringing them in to sleep in the brooder box in our garage at nighttime right now. Probably by the weekend this mama hen will be ready to set her chicks free in the coop/run all on their own. Our nighttime temps are in the thirties and fourties and days are beautiful in the seventies. They are sooooo happy.

 

[cuckoo_orpington13]

 

[Tecalli]

Hey swampman and Melvin, good to know there are other BYC chick folks close by. I'm in State College.
I haven't gotten chicks yet, I started with 3 pullets last summer, but am planning to get a few next spring to this info is very helpful.