When to put chicks out side??

[ElaynasChick]

Hello! i just ordered 8 chicks and they will be here the 16th-18th of October and by the time they are fully feathered it will be pretty cold (30f) can i let them in there coop and run even if it is that cold? it will be around 30 degrees Fahrenheit from October through February and rarely goes down to the teens. let me know what you think!!

 

[Chickassan]

Yes, as long as they're fully feathered those temps will be plenty doable.
They'll huddle at night to keep warm no problems.
Keep the coop dry and draft free and your kids will be fine.

 

[ElaynasChick]

Yes, as long as they're fully feathered those temps will be plenty doable.
They'll huddle at night to keep warm no problems.
Keep the coop dry and draft free and your kids will be fine.

Okay thanks, so no need for a heat lamp in the coop??

 

[Chickassan]

Nope, as long as they're fully featherd those temps should not need supplemental heat.
Personally I only consider heat when daytime temps are in the low teens, some folks don't even do it then.

Okay thanks, so no need for a heat lamp in the coop??

 

[21hens-incharge]

You will need to acclimate them to being outside.
Inside is warm and toasty.

Take them to the coop for short periods of time each day increasing how long they are out there. Watch how they act.
If they huddle and act cold they are not ready for nights in the coop.

Chickassan is correct fully feathered should not require added heat.

They do need acclimated though.

 

[ElaynasChick]

Nope, as long as they're fully featherd those temps should not need supplemental heat.
Personally I only consider heat when daytime temps are in the low teens, some folks don't even do it then.

Alrighty then thanks for all your help!

 

[springvalley123]

Agreed, they need to get used to the cooler temps, no matter how long they've been fully feathered. You can put them outside once you can provide the proper, dry, draft free temperatures, and you might accomplish this with varying sized/wattages of heat lamps or brooder heaters. Last year I used two, 250-watt lamps and a 400-watt brooder heater to step them down from the 60-degree range or so (don't recall exactly), to the 10 or 20 degree lows we were having at the time. It took forever but I didn't lose any of the 27 chicks. Also indispensible, was the chance to do a "dry run" of the brooder before the chicks came. First, I found that the chosen coop actually was totally inadequate, so I created a brooder corner in the shed that worked. Then built a new coop and tested that. This year I found that my brooder heater decided to retire, the day before the chicks came.

 

[ElaynasChick]

Agreed, they need to get used to the cooler temps, no matter how long they've been fully feathered. You can put them outside once you can provide the proper, dry, draft free temperatures, and you might accomplish this with varying sized/wattages of heat lamps or brooder heaters. Last year I used two, 250-watt lamps and a 400-watt brooder heater to step them down from the 60-degree range or so (don't recall exactly), to the 10 or 20 degree lows we were having at the time. It took forever but I didn't lose any of the 27 chicks. Also indispensible, was the chance to do a "dry run" of the brooder before the chicks came. First, I found that the chosen coop actually was totally inadequate, so I created a brooder corner in the shed that worked. Then built a new coop and tested that. This year I found that my brooder heater decided to retire, the day before the chicks came.

So my winter is super rainy (like every day) so can i still put them out side?? there run is covered so...

 

[Chickassan]

Yes, as long as they can get out of the rain you sure can.

So my winter is super rainy (like every day) so can i still put them out side?? there run is covered so...

 

[ElaynasChick]

Agreed, they need to get used to the cooler temps, no matter how long they've been fully feathered. You can put them outside once you can provide the proper, dry, draft free temperatures, and you might accomplish this with varying sized/wattages of heat lamps or brooder heaters. Last year I used two, 250-watt lamps and a 400-watt brooder heater to step them down from the 60-degree range or so (don't recall exactly), to the 10 or 20 degree lows we were having at the time. It took forever but I didn't lose any of the 27 chicks. Also indispensible, was the chance to do a "dry run" of the brooder before the chicks came. First, I found that the chosen coop actually was totally inadequate, so I created a brooder corner in the shed that worked. Then built a new coop and tested that. This year I found that my brooder heater decided to retire, the day before the chicks came.

I was just watching a video that said keep moving the temp down 5 degrees a week (like usual) until it reaches 55 and don't go down more even when they are fully feathered. but as i told you my temps will be more like 30f. so is that really okay?