When to move into a coop

[davecash]

I just built a coop for my 3 chicks,. when would be a good time to put them in it? What age?

 

[davecash]

anyone?

 

[arlee453]

The prevailing wisdom is to wait until the chicks are pretty well feathered - around 4-5 weeks. That's when they can regulate their own body temp and stay warm when it gets chilly.

I moved my guys out at 3 weeks, but temps here have been no lower than 75 at night for a long time, and I moved their brooder light out and turn it on at night just in case they got a chill.

They're 5 weeks next Monday and are doing just fine.

 

[mourninglory]

The time to move them will depend on your weather and your coop.
I just put mine out today and they hatched out 4 weeks ago. It is 90's in the day and upper 70's at night here.
It may be cooler there in Kentucky, but if your coop is escape proof for chicks (they can squeeze through very small openings), you can probably move them as soon as they are completely feathered out at around 7-8 weeks.
You didn't mention the chicks age, but if you think it's too cool at night and you want them out of the house you can always put the heat lamp in there for a few weeks.

 

[2mnypets]

I do mine a little different. I wait until they are 2-3 weeks old or growing out of the brooder that's inside the house. They then graduate to a bigger brooder that we made inside the regular chicken coop. There they have a brooder light with two windows(with shutters) for ventilation. All along the front they have small diameter wired fencing material (it used to be a rabbit hutch & we just added wood to the floor). This way they are sheltered and warm but still have access to fresh air, and are able to somewhat interact with the older or adult chickens and vice versa. We've found this stage of interaction within the safety of the coop to be vital when introduction into the flock is permanent. Doing it this way has provided great success with not one chick or teen being picked or pecked on. Here's our set up.