When do you move your chicks out to the coop?

[Mainechick168]

My Chicks are 3 weeks old today. I know they still need the heat lamp, my concern is that they are going to keep getting bigger, and I'm not sure if keeping them inside until they are fully feathered ( 6 weeks or so I'm guessing?) is going to be the best idea!! I live in Maine, so it can still get quite cool at night, but I am wondering if I could move them out with the heat lamp at 4 or 5 weeks?? any thoughts??

 

[sumi]

If you move them into an outside coop and put the lamp in there for them they should be fine. Heat is essential for the first 2 weeks, after that they are a bit tougher.

 

[Roxannemc]

I am pretty new here too but i read on here if they have all their feather everyplace they can go out .I think with the heat lamp if it keeps it 60 or over and you have turned the heat lamp off in the house by then so they are used to 70 inside or so they would be fine at 5 weeks going out if its not too cold and they have a heat lamp .. as they have most of their feathers or mine did at 5 weeks
I read here that they are fine if its like 50 or above once they have feather maybe lower but not 30's so young

I think they do need to start out during the warm parts of the day only and work up to cool nights not just get flopped out to stay one day. forever. I started mine out on a warmer day 70's took them in at nightfall. and did that for about 4 -5 days or so before i let them stay out at night and picked a warmer night for their first night. but i am in Mo.Warmer than Maine and ihave no heat lamp in this tractor coop
It has gotten down to the 40s at night once even maybe high upper 30's but my girls were 7 weeks old or older and my tractor coop is small i have 11 girls so i think they get a lot of self made heat in there.(no heat lamp)
Repeating what i heard on here If they cuddle together outside or fluff way out and sit ,cheep loudly in a forlorn way then its too cold for them.
You could Put the heat lamp on in the coop (no chickens in it )and check in the late evening and very early morning when its coldest like 5 or 6 what it gets down to in the coop with the lamp . That way you can tell what they are facing.
Get a second lamp if you think its too cold
.I wouldnt let them get under 60's myself at 5 weeks .i am sure no expert.

 

[robynz]

I'm in VT and wondering the same thing - my girls were 3 weeks last Friday, they have most of their feathers, and I've had to put a top on the brooder because they started flying out. I figure once it's 60 or higher overnight, they'll be fine in the coop.

It was in the 80s here last weekend, so they spent Saturday and Sunday outside a loved it! On the flip side, it's made them a bit more restless being cooped up in the corner of the basement :/

 

[Mainechick168]

I have been bringing mine outside for bits of time- they love it!! they should have a good time when they get out for good!

 

[dainerra]

Mine have been outside since 3 weeks old. They free-range and put themselves to be at night. They aren't sleeping with the big girls yet; i'll wait until they are closer in skze before removing all the barriers. They do roam the yard togerher and they walk in and out of the hens' run

ETA: sorry, was posting from my phone. It's upper 80s during the day, 50s at night this week. I had them in the basement in a wire dog crate. I removed the heat lamp when they were about 2 weeks old.

This is the first year I've let them free-range this early and they are growing HUGE!

 

[Tigertrea]

Mine went out at 4 weeks. I have no heat or light in my coop. It has dropped to around 55 here at night. They huddle together at night and are just fine. Days are 70-80is and they spend lots of time out in their run.

 

[Mainechick168]

wow maybe it's time I took the heat lamp off mine- its up pretty high, but still on. we have had a nice stretch of weather- in the 70's most days, and only getting to the 50s at night- but it's still possible for it to drop to 40s ( or lower...!) Better finish the coop fast!!

 

[Rock Home Isle]

Once they are feathered out they are ready to leave the brooder and go out to the coop. I had mine spending their days outside foraging at 3 weeks. I call them Ragamuffins when they look like this...



And here is what they look like last weekend.

 

[Mainechick168]

Rock Home Isle- how old are they in the second picture??