When to move outside

[Bluegrassmama]

Hello everyone. We have chicks that we purchased at TSC and they are about 4 weeks old now. Our daytime temps are in the 70's-80's and nighttime temps don't go below 50. I have had them in the house in a homemade brooder with just a regular lamp on them in one corner. Do you think it would be safe to put them in their coop now? We have been taking them out during the day so they can get used to the temperature and they have done fine. Their coop is predator safe and the run is also.

 

[eggbert420]

They are ready.

 

[grandma Henhen]

Are they fully feathered? I put a plastic over the screened door when it gets to the 50s. Just to keep the body heat in.

 

[GaryDean26]

Hello everyone. We have chicks that we purchased at TSC and they are about 4 weeks old now. Our daytime temps are in the 70's-80's and nighttime temps don't go below 50. I have had them in the house in a homemade brooder with just a regular lamp on them in one corner. Do you think it would be safe to put them in their coop now? We have been taking them out during the day so they can get used to the temperature and they have done fine. Their coop is predator safe and the run is also.

We move our outside after about 2 weeks.

The rule of thumb is that they need to be at 90 degs their first week, 80 degs their send week, 70 degrees their 3rd week, and can drop 10 degree every week after that. but when the heat lamps go out they huddle together for warmth and are fine. If they are 4 weeks old the rule of thum is that they would be happy on their own down to 60 degrees.. If they can huddle to together at night (which they will do where it is cold or not. They should be fine down to 50 degs. at 4 weeks old.

Traditional farming a century ago would put all the chicks on free range at 5 weeks old. They are pretty independent by that age and can go everywhere the mature birds do.

Some breeds are fast feathering and some slow feathering. If they don't have any feathers at 4 weeks old then they are going to need to be on a heat lamp. As long as they have feathers they are fine at that age.

 

[Bluegrassmama]

Their wings are feathered fully and their little butts have feathers also. Their bodies have feathers sporadically and fluff. Thank you for the info. I need all the advice I can get!