when to move outside

[Shalva]

Right now I have 10 chicks in a puppy whelping box in my upstairs guest room making an ungodly mess .... They are currently about 5 weeks old and seem to be feathered out. I have taken away the heat in the room at this point but I would love to move them outside. I will not be moving them to the coop but rather can set up an area inside my garage and start transitioning them outside to the chicken yard.

So here is the question, our evening temperatures are still getting into the mid thirties with day time temps around 55-60 (it has been a cool disgustingly rainy couple weeks here in NH)

If I were to supplement heat with a heat lamp in part of the outside/garage pen is it to cold still (not worried about daytime temps but nights are still cold) for these kids to move outside? if not yet, when would you say it would be ok. What do the night temps need to be for them to go out. I honestly think they would be happier outside but I am just not sure when to move them out.

Would appreciate some insight from the colder climate folks .... I don't worry about temperature at all with the adults but with the babes I am a bit more cautious
thanks

 

[Jensownzoo]

I put 7 week olds outside in a chain link dog kennel with a straw-stuffed doghouse for shelter. It snowed the next day. They were fine.

If they are mostly feathered out and going into a garage, just give them warm bedding (like straw/shavings and a huddle box big enough for all of them to contain their body heat. They should be fine. Now that they've got their down-filled "coats", overheating will be a bigger problem than the cold.

 

[Shalva]

thanks.... that is really helpful. I will throw their little feathered butts outside this week. I am going to contain them in a dog ex pen ... would you supplement with the heat lamp.... I don't use a red lamp but I do have a ceramic heat lamp that just throws warmth not light ... ???

 

[Rock Home Isle]

At 5 weeks & fully feathered, they should be plenty big enough to handle the rigors of life outside the brooder.



My current flock has been outside for a week now and it is so nice to have them out of the house, and they are so happy to be out of the brooder.



They forage all day in a secure yard. Each night I put them into the coop at about sunset.... If you are worried about nighttime temperatures, hang a heat lamp bulb in the coop. That should generate enough warmth for them.

 

[Shalva]

thank you both... I have made an executive decision that some little feathered butts will be moving outside as of tom. they are fully feahtered and honestly I think they will be happier outside. I will not put them in the coop or with the big girls yet so they don't get beaten up (they are still peeping) but they can move out of my guest bedroom along with the smell and mess and they can go into the big yard with the girls behind a barrier to keep them separated if the days are warm .... I will put in a huddle box as suggested... there is about 6 inches of shavings down and I will also add a heat lamp for the nights but it is time for the girls to learn how to be chickens and for me to take my house back.... they can stay in the garage for a while and then I can put a dog crate into the coop as they get older and everyone can learn how to co exist ... but for right now I am thrilled to have them out of the house