when should I put them out?

[fishinchicken]

i have 5 RIReds and a little silkie. I'm pretty sure they are about 3 weeks old. I am wondering when I should put them out in the coop. It is a secure enclosure with good ventilation. This is our first time with chickens and I don't want to screw up. I figure at least a 4-5 more weeks with the light in the basement. Right?

 

[HennyJenny]

I'm thinking it's starting to get warmer in WV yes? I'm in Nebraska - and mine are three weeks - and if I had the tar paper on my coop roof - these babies would be out in the coop! I would say that if you can get a lamp out in the coop for the night time they would be just fine out there. If you chose not to do that - I am guessing that in another 2 weeks they would be feathered enough to go outside. You will not be happy with 8 or 9 week olds in your house. The silkie would be the one I would be most concerned about (that would be because I know nothing about them). Good Luck!
Jenny

 

[bantybev]

They should be kept at around 90 degrees the first week, then 5 less every week. When they are fully feathered they can go out. Unless you are lucky enough to live where temps never go below 70 day or night

A lot depends on where you live and if you plan on putting a heat lamp in the coop for nights when temps drop.

 

[gritsar]

At 3 weeks old they need temps. in the 80 to 85 range. If you can maintain those temps. in a draft free coop, either naturally or with a heat lamp, they can go out; so long as there are no older chickens in the coop.
I brood my chicks outside, with a heat lamp of course.