When Should I Put My Chicks Out in the Coop.........

[Hedwig]

Im getting chicks this weekend and I live in New England and I was wondering when I should put them out in the coop
thanks

 

[slatts]

I think it depends. I live inSouth Texas and this time of year they stay plenty warm....and sometimes too warm My 12 ladies are 4 weeks old today and I put them in the coop a week ago....so they were 3 weeks old. I leave a heat lamp on at night that they can get under if needed but I'm not sure they do. The coop is very open and they seem to love it.

 

[Hedwig]

I think it depends. I live inSouth Texas and this time of year they stay plenty warm....and sometimes too warm
My 12 ladies are 4 weeks old today and I put them in the coop a week ago....so they were 3 weeks old. I leave a heat lamp on at night that they can get under if needed but I'm not sure they do. The coop is very open and
they seem to love it.

Ok here in mass its not that warm today when I woke up at 5 it was 43 out I've looked around here and I think I'll try to keep them inside to at least 6 weeks we shall see how it goes thanks for your input

 

[sueperina]

It is Nov. now & getting cold at night in So. Illinois near Kentucky. This week it is suppose to get down in the mid 20's a couple of nights. They are about 9 or 10 weeks old & pretty well feathered out. I thought about putting them in with the others but putting a light over a cage so they could get to heat if they needed it. Do you think that would be sufficient?

 

[KHoward]

*Bumping*

It is February 2014 in Boston, temps are mid-30's during the day which is unusually cold. I have 30 chicks 3-4 weeks old (two batches) in a weather tight, well vented, insulated room and I have two heat lamps on for them. It is 90 under the lamp area, 65 where their food and water are, and the ambient air temperature is in the 40's. I also have a large coop where the 8 big girls are and that is not heated, though it could be with lamps.

So - the question of the day is = when to let the chicks into the big coop, in terms of feathering out and temperatures?

Four weeks? Six weeks? Eight weeks? Just before they go to college?

And what about the use of the heat lamps? Only at night or 24x7? I don't want the big girls getting used to the heat lamps if it's avoidable.

Thank you in advance,

~Kristen

 

[stephsgirls]

Yes, I have spoiled my 8 week old chooks with a heat lamp, we are in Or. And the coolest it had been was 40, so soon I will have to wean then from the heat, to get used to the weather. It is usually around 60 during the day, so when it warms up, I will take it out of the coop.

 

[stephsgirls]

Put the ducklings and two EE's in the coop yesterday. They were separated by a low fence. DH heard them chatting last night, went to check, and they were all together! Nobody picked on, or hurt. He put all older chooks back, and went to bed. I opened the coop this morning, and just one of the RR's thought she should be with the little ones. Think it's the heat light! But glad they all can get along!

 

[claudiab]

We start ours gradually. We put them outside during the day, then bring them in for the night. Just to make sure they are adjusting to their surroundings. Do this a couple of days. Then leave them out, assuming the temps are not too cold. Once the chicks are fully feathered they seem to do quite well! Even when they are 1 week old, if the weather is nice, we will put them in a sunny place in the yard, in a smallish enclosure (plastic lattice with the small holes, cut into pieces & zipped tied together, covered with bird netting, etc. works great for this) where we can keep an eye on them. Give them some shade, in case they get overheated. Watch out for cats, dogs, kids, etc. We had a hen hatch chicks late October. The chicks did absolutely great! They would run around, hunting and pecking, then when they got cold, back beneath mama they went! I think sometimes we stress ourselves out needlessly! Even though they are 'babies', they are smart little things, and can take a lot more than we give them credit for. For instance, they ship these babies all over the country, beating and banging them all the way, with nothing in their little bellies, and they USUALLY manage to survive despite it all!