When to put them outside

[Stewarts]

If they are huddled in the straw, chances are they are too cold overnight and need a heat lamp in there.

 

[JeanOg]

I am new to chicks but had the same problems with them being kind of stir crazy too. I doubled the box size, put 2 moving wardrobe boxes on their side, cut the side out so the top is open, and lined them with plastic. Then added newspaper and a good layer of pine shavings. I made a hole in each box and joined them together. Heat lamp in one side and not the other. Gave them more room to move around. Added some tree branches for them to sit on and started bringing them earth worms,(dug from my garden) and crickets from the pet store. It was exciting for them to eat them and afterwards they seemed to calm down. I was giving them the worms or crickets 2 times a day. I am no expert by any means but the treats seemed to help. Also a few times a day I would pour some of their food on a paper towel and they would enjoy scratching at it and they would all get in a circle and gobble it up and practice scratching. Always had food in their feeder 24/7. I just moved them outside at 6 weeks old. They are inside the coop, I lock them in on cold days, we have had a lot of wind and rain. And I let them out on warmer days and they love it. I do have a heat lamp in the coop and they have figured out how to get up on the roosts and sit under the heat lamp area. We leave the heat lamp on all the time. Hope this helps but remember I am no expert.

 

[ebruc4534]

Do you think I can put 4 week Rode island reds in 65-75 temps