Can my 4 week old chicks live outside?

[sarahb19243]

We have been letting out 4 week old chicks visit outside for the first time these past few days. I've started to wonder whether or not we could just keep them outside in a coop or are they still too young. I posted a picture of our local weather forecast so you can determine if it's warm enough.

 

[Blackberry18]

Not quite yet, but access to outdoors is good when it's warm. They can live in a coop once the brooding period is done (6 weeks of age), and are well feathered. The temperature should be lowered 5 degrees per week, for chicks, so now it should be at about 80 degrees. Good luck!!

 

[csaylorchickens]

I leave mine out in te coop during the day with the bottom run open. I also leave the ecgoglow warmer in the coop just incase they need it. It's been 75 here and they are three weeks old. They love going outside! I just being them in at night still because it gets so cold. But they are getting too antsy for the brooder in the garage for them to be in it all day. I started noticing more peeking but letting them outside and explore has resolved this issue. I have four golden sex links and their brooder is a 3 ft by 3ft galvanized cage.

 

[newchickmama84]

How do u know when your chicks are almost ready for more room to move around?

 

[rides2far]

I had to put my chicks out when 4 weeks old. Our temps were very similar. I had 2 heat lamps in the coop at night (securely attached). I also blocked the windows at night. They are doing just great! (We had our cabinets refinished, so fumes would have killed chicks). Yours should be fine if they are warm & draft free at night

 

[sarahb19243]

Thanks so much! All this helped a lot

 

[JojoRI]

I need to chime in on this -- I have 9 chicks that have to go somewhere... they are way too big for the brooder (which happened in the blink of an eye!). I do have a coop all ready for them to go into, but nights here are in the 60s still (RI). I have them in the garage right now and have not had a light on them for about 5 days. It's 65 - 70 in the garage and they sleep all snuggled up. They are very happy, but now that they are getting so big they are way too crowded. When i approach the brooder they all stop chirping and look up at me like "hey! let us out!". These girls have very strong instincts, were scratching at 2 days and try to roost on everything. Can they go into a coop that is 2.5' wide by 3.5' long by 2' tall? My husband says to put them out they are not happy in the brooder, but i am afraid to. they are well feathered, strong, trying to fly around the brooder. i am afraid they will hurt themselves or each other. (BTW, 3 BOs, 3 barred rocks, and 3 aracaunas).

 

[KER414]

My 4-week-olds are in the coop at night with a light. However, they don't seem to want to go down the ramp to the run during the day. At one point, one of them was panting from the heat so I manually put them out. Then had to manually put them in at night. Any suggestions?

 

[snhchick]

I have one 4-week old chick and two 7-week old chicks still in a Rubbermaid container in my dining room. They go out into a playpen during the day (temps in the high 70's to low 80's during the day and 60's at night). I stopped using the 75 watt heat lamp about 2 weeks ago and have started turning out the light at night. My 7-week olds look huge in the brooder, but I'm wondering if the 4-week old is ready for the outdoor coop. They do all snuggle together at night (Silkies), so I plan to have a box with hay for them to sleep in when they move outdoors. Will the 7-week olds be like hens for the little one, giving her extra warmth if she needs it? I'm nervous about using a heat lamp in the barn. Thanks.