When do you move your chicks out to the coop?

[Rock Home Isle]

We got them as day-olds on April 6th. So they were about 6 weeks in the 2nd photo.

 

[robynz]

I need to get my coop up and ready too! I really wanted to paint before the metal cloth went on...

 

[PeachygirlGA]

She is beautiful! Is that an orpington? She looks just like mine.

 

[Mainechick168]

Mine are 23 days old today- I have 3 EEs and 2 white rocks right now- in a few weeks I'll be picking up 2 barred rocks and 3 buff orpingtons that should be about the same age. I can't believe how fast they are growing!! I think I might possibly have a rooster in this bunch too...!?

I've been trying to upload a photo- not working right now, I'll try in a bit!

 

[bwalden]

I moved mine out to the coop at about 4 weeks old. My coop is fully enclosed with a wood floor though. I would let them out during the day a back in the coop at night. I kept a light on the a couple more weeks. I would reccomend turning the light off as soon as possible at night. This will teach them to go to bed when it gets dark. I have made the mistake of leaving my light on 24/7 and this confuses them when you turn it off the first few times at night.

 

[Mainechick168]

Do you think it's safe to turn the light off even if my house gets around 65 degrees at night?

 

[Mainechick168]

My 2 white rocks like the camera a little more than the 3 EEs!

 

[Rock Home Isle]

Yes they are Buff Orpingtins

 

[RonC]

Do you think it's safe to turn the light off even if my house gets around 65 degrees at night?

If they are fully feathered then wean then off the light. By fully I mean probably about 90%, it takes quiet a while for all the feathers on the sides of their heads to fill in. Move it further away for a few nights before taking it completely away. 65 degrees isn't too cold for month old chicks to stand for a few hours at a time. They will huddle together if they get chilled. At a month old mine never slept near their light so I turned it off. Within a couple of days(before 5 weeks) they were in their coop and it would get down to mid 50's with no problems.

 

[CarolJ]

I live in Tennessee, and I have electricity in my coop. I put mine in the coop as soon as they all hatch and are dried off and fluffy. I have a separate brooder pen - and I put the heat lamp there. I hatched some chicks in January. So they were out there for the coldest weather we had. I raise or lower the heat lamp depending on the temperature. Also, on days when it was really cold (below freezing), I put cardboard around the perimeter of the brooder pen to hold in some of the warmth. They thrive - they run around the brooder - and can always return to under the heat lamp if they get cold. I think being outside with the other chickens (separated by wire, of course) is good for them, and they acclimate to the weather much more quickly than being inside the house. I love my chickens - but, for me, they don't belong in the house.