Do you think 5 1/2 weeks is old enoungh to put in a barn.

[Rooster Ray]

Do you think 5 1/2 weeks is old enoungh to put chicks in a barn with a heat lamp even though the night temps outside are still in the teens?

 

[Laskaland]

Are they fully feathered out? I would hold off if your temps get that chilly at night. I usually wait until 8 weeks, but that's just me.
Good Luck
Christina

 

[Rooster Ray]

Quote:
Yes all but one are totally feathered out.

 

[Chicken Fruit]

I was told, and we always did when i was a kid, to put them out, keep them inside at night, and give them a "hay bale hut" to roost in. literally a little hut on the coop floor built out of 4 or more straw or hay bales. if they dont have any access to roosting ledges or poles they'll crawl under the hut at that age and keep nice and toasty. Ours always did well- but we were only raising production birds, not fancies.

 

[jvls1942]

Yes,
I assume you have them in the house, now.. they stink, don't they?

I would suggest that you start them out in a smallish type enclosure until they acclimate.

somewhere that the heat you provide cannot escape..

 

[TammyTX]

Quote:
That gave me a good laugh, thanks!

 

[marytoast]

Yea, mine are inside too. There's nothing like the smell of chicken poo and apple candle burning (trying to cover it up)

 

[KatyTheChickenLady]

I'm a newbie so probably do a lot I shouldn't do, but . . . I put my 4 new 5 1/2 week old RIR's out in the coop with my "teenagers" (4 20 week Ameracaunas), and my "fat butts" (5 older hens). I thought since they seemed to have feathers they would be fine . . . they were. I have learned from reading since then that I should have waited until there were more feathers, but honestly it is COLD here and we had no problems. One morning after the temperature had really dropped I opened the door to find my "teenagers" down on the floor with the "kids", they had their wings covering them and everyone was happy. The "kids" seem to be benefiting by the early introduction to the flock as everybody id getting along quite well; I was worried they would get picked on.