When can baby chicks go out to the coop?

[Naben]

Hi

I've got 5 chicks and they are 3 weeks old today and I 'm just wondering when I can put them outside in their coop. (It now above 0 at night)
I have two lamps for the coop and it's 4X5. Thanks for the help

 

[Rooster Ray]

I'am in the same boat you are in. I have 6 chicks that are 5 1/2 weeks old and I would really like to get them out in the barn in their pen. But it is still like 10 degrees at night and I really dont want to lose any of them, they are my first hatch. I posted a question close to this and really havent had any good responses yet, I will keep my eye on your post also. Thanks for asking. Also

 

[Chicken Fruit]

I wouldnt put 3 week olds out unless they were well feathered- or youre keeping the heat lamps on for them to at least keep it around 65 all night.

 

[birdsofparadise]

I know that they are cute as they first explore their world, but going from even a 65 degree brooder to a 10 degree yard and then back again is too much of a shock to their systems. Wait until they are at least 10 weeks and preferably 12 weeks old before you try this.

 

[jvls1942]

OK you two.

You can put 1 day old chicks out into your coop, barn, lean-to or wherever..

In a lean to off the garage.(outside basically)
I set up a brooder and covered it with loose hay last winter when the temps were at and even below zero.. I put the 3-day old chicks in as they hatched and had about 100 chicks in there by the time I got done.. I only lost 3 or 4. which is normal at any time of year..

plenty of heat,no draft and they will do fine.. I slid the water and feed in under the edge of the brooder and covered the opening with loose hay.. I set the original tem at 80 degrees and left it at that throughout the whole brooding phase..

I am not going to retype this in your other thread..

 

[speckledhen]

As long as they have a draft free, but ventilated, dry place to go where you can provide a heat source, they can go out earlier than you think. I've put out two week old chicks more than once successfully, but I always put two heat lamps in case one goes out during the night. If you have a place to keep them till they are fully feathered, that's great, but it's hard to do here unless my DH builds me a big, stand-up brooder in the bsmt.

 

[lisahaschickens]

I am new to this but I agree with Speckled Hen. My chicks are now three weeks old and they've been out in the coop (not the run, though) for a week now. The coop is dry, clean, and draft-free and I have two heat lamps in there in case one goes out over night. It is very warm under the lamps and cooler as you move away from them and they just pick their happy temp.

They LOVE being out there and I like it much better than having them in the house. Of course, it doesn't get much below 30 even overnight here, so I don't know about temps like 0. But, I would think it's the same - as long as they have the heat lamps and no drafts, they're OK. At least mine are so far.

I have been blogging about my experience at http:lisahaschickens.wordpress.com and I talk about the temps and the lights and the coop and the move and everything with lots of pictures, if you are interested in knowing more about how I did it. I am still learning as I go. I moved them last weekend and the first post about it is called "The Big Move."

 

[Rooster Ray]

Quote:
Thanks for the input and your blog is awesome I love the pictures.

 

[lisahaschickens]

Thank you, I am glad! Good luck with your babies!

 

[Lolliegee]

If you want to move them into your existing coop, how do you go about making sure the babies stay in the coop, but allow the adults to come out? Mind usually have free access to the coop all day (they can go in and out at will). But, I do love the idea of getting the babies outside sooner rather than later...they are quite smelly.