When to put them out in the coop

[OHWVKY]

My mother lives with me and we go back and forth about when they're big enough to go outside. I have some who are about 4-5 weeks old that are still inside but are jumping out of the tote and running around the bathroom. I think they're ready, she says no. I may have an addiction and the bathroom is getting crowded with totes so I really would like to put some out. They no longer have a heat lamp but because of other other 2 the bathroom is holding around 82 degrees. How do I know when they're ready for sure?

Here's one of them peeking at me while I use the bathroom.

 

[rjohns39]

You'll get lots of different answers. Mine go out at 3 weeks, I have friends that brood outside in the summer. So with all things chicken, there are different viewpoints and different styles of husbandry.

 

[Smuvers Farm]

4-6 weeks sounds good, especially since it's not even IN TO Autumn yet. No cold spells or snow coming? Put 'em out!

 

[azygous]

You must have a very large bathroom. Or at least and hopefully, it's a second bathroom!

You win the argument. These chicks are ready for the coop. Actually, if you have no adult chickens, you could have brooded right in the coop to begin with. (Yay! You have your bathroom back!)

82F is far too warm an environment for chicks the age of yours. In fact, you really don't want ambient temps to be that warm even for day-olds. It's the heat source that needs to be producing a certain level of heat, not the room itself. It's far more beneficial to have a cool room with a heat source where chicks can warm under or leave and go away in order to shed excess heat.

Moving the chicks from such a warm environment to a much cooler one shouldn't be undertaken abruptly, however. Some acclimatizing should be provided the chicks by first turning off the heat in their brooders, then exposing them to outdoor temps gradually, then moving them permanently. This is all the more necessary if they're going to be moving to very cool outdoor temps.

Your chicks are old enough to be spending their days outdoors in a run as long as the weather is over 70F. They would appreciate getting out of those plastic tubs. Wouldn't you?

 

[Smuvers Farm]

You must have a very large bathroom. Or at least and hopefully, it's a second bathroom!

You win the argument. These chicks are ready for the coop. Actually, if you have no adult chickens, you could have brooded right in the coop to begin with. (Yay! You have your bathroom back!)

82F is far too warm an environment for chicks the age of yours. In fact, you really don't want ambient temps to be that warm even for day-olds. It's the heat source that needs to be producing a certain level of heat, not the room itself. It's far more beneficial to have a cool room with a heat source where chicks can warm under or leave and go away in order to shed excess heat.

Moving the chicks from such a warm environment to a much cooler one shouldn't be undertaken abruptly, however. Some acclimatizing should be provided the chicks by first turning off the heat in their brooders, then exposing them to outdoor temps gradually, then moving them permanently. This is all the more necessary if they're going to be moving to very cool outdoor temps.

Your chicks are old enough to be spending their days outdoors in a run as long as the weather is over 70F. They would appreciate getting out of those plastic tubs. Wouldn't you?

x2!!!!

 

[OHWVKY]

I figure its's 86 outside right now so other than nights in the 60's, it won't be much different than the 82 degree bathroom.

She's still arguing that next week it's supposed to cool off... Oh well, they're heading out to the coop soon.

 

[azygous]

Here's a big "yaaaaaaaaay!" for your chicks!

 

[azygous]

Tell your mom feather growth depends in part on cool temperatures. If the chicks are going to be ready for winter temps, they will need a good feather covering. Keeping them in such a warm room retards feather growth and will make them less cold resistant.

 

[Smuvers Farm]

Tell your mom feather growth depends in part on cool temperatures. If the chicks are going to be ready for winter temps, they will need a good feather covering. Keeping them in such a warm room retards feather growth and will make them less cold resistant.

x1000!!!

 

[lazy gardener]

Agreed, in current temps, even if no heat available in coop, I'd be putting them out with a huddle box at 3 weeks. At 3 weeks they can and should be completely weaned off heat if temp is around 70*F. How old are the other chicks? How many? Do you have adults in the coop? If it's possible to put a MHP in the coop, you could move ALL of them into the coop and get your bathroom back. Many of us NEVER brood chicks in the house, and never brood chicks with a heat lamp. We've found that brooding chicks in the coop (even when you have adult birds in the coop) can be done by giving them a fenced in area where the adults can see but not harass!