when can I put my silkie chicks outside?

[bgeyer]

I have three silkie chicks in my garage with a heat lamp on. They are about 5- 6 weeks old. I am wondering when I can transition them to going outside. I have 4 chickens in the outside coop currently. The weather here has been between 40- 50 degrees at night. I really dont want to keep them inside all winter. Any ideas or suggestions?

 

[Shortstuff112]

What stage are your chicks in? If they are just starting to get thier feathers or just got them DO NOT PUT THEM OUTSDIE! they will be VERY cold. Also they may already have thier feathers but are still small this is when you can remove the heat (unless it is 60 degrees or lower without the heat ). But once the chicks are about pullets they should be able to stand the cold. But be catious the first time you put them out- if they huddle together or almost never move, they may not be ready to go out.

 

[delisha]

You should turn off the heat source during the day and see how they do. At that age mine are already out, with out heat. however I never put young birds with older birds. For really young birds, I start them in a temporary fence. It is a 20 foot fence I just close the ends together and make a surround. I add a cardboard box, food and water. I start this early, and during the summer I start this at a few days old. I supervise and usually am working in the yard. I have a hen and a drake Muscovy who love baby's and they usually set by the fence to help watch. You can do the same. Take them out on sunny days in a fence away from other animals. They have the box to get away from the wind and sun. Start an hour a day and build till it is all day. Supervised. I do not put baby chicks I have hatched in with the general group until they are pullets and I know I am keeping them. I do raise them on the same grasses if they are going to stay with the flock. If they have hatched out under a hen they are with the general group from day one. Cross contamination is ruff on a flock. Your chicks can bring in new molds, bacteria, etc into your established flock and vice versa. So go slow. A few minutes a day to build immunities. Be observant and in a month you should be good to go.

 

[dwegg]

Yes this is exactly what I'd o...I start taking my silkie chicks outside during warm still days in a secure area near where I am working in the yard. Always make sure they have somewhere to hide or get out of the breeze if there is one.
I start taking them out each day for longer but I leave them in the garage at night with the heat lamp till about 2 months...then I leave them outside in their own coop...very secure and lock them up in a very warm little coop at night starting at about. 3 months...soon after that they can go straight in with the other silkies...there has never been a problem with my young silkies in with my older silkies...even my Roos don't worry them...

 

[Sunshine 123]

I'm in Florida, how old can silkies stay out side