When should i move my chicks outside ?

[Froggyknowsbest]

I'm getting chicks pretty soon and I was wondering when I should move them outside, where I am it either really hot or really cold in the summer and there is no in-between. So I was wondering how old they should be for that.

 

[nuthatched]

It depends on your night time temperatures and how fast they feather in

 

[Heirloom Grown]

When you chicks are fully feathered then they are able to regulate their own body temperature. This usually happens around eight weeks of age although this will sometimes differ depending on the breed 6-10 weeks is a good rule of thumb. If your night time temps are above 50°F at night and they are eight weeks old then they will be fine outdoors. I think they main thing to watch for is the cold and not the heat. If it is over 80°F outside then you may want to give them electrolytes, shade and other things to keep them comfortable. Hope this helps.

 

[rosemarythyme]

As a point of reference, I brood outdoors when it ranges between mid 40s-mid 60s. Around 2 weeks old the chicks spend more time away from their heating pad than under it, during the day. Around 4 weeks I remove the heat and lock them out of the brooder, and they move into the coop with the adults.