Lowest low is 70. When can I move my RIR chicks to the coop?

[LynnTXchickenmom]

Our RIR chicks were hatched on Aug 3. We have 21 of them in 2 brooders. They’ve been on the front porch in 105 highs, only needing the heat lamp at night. Now temps are 85- 73 and I’ve had the heat lamp on all the time. They are moving around, flapping wings, trying to fly out when I open the brooder lid, knocking over food and water, or resting spread out in the brooders.

So now that they are 20 days old, they are getting bigger and fast outgrowing the brooder. When can we put them in the coop? We will confine them to the coop until they are older and used to it as home—there are no older chickens in it. At what age can 21 chicks be ok together with lows in the 70s in a coop? I’m mainly asking for two days we will be gone over Labor Day weekend. I’ve got someone to check on them daily, but the coop will be better than what will be a tight-squeeze in the brooders by then. Lows will be 70 or higher—N TX in Sept. They’ll need larger and more stable feeders and waterers, for example.

Thanks!!!

 

[BarnyardChaos]

They'll be fine right now. At 3 weeks old, they'll have most of their feathers. Enough to stay warm. They don't need the heat lamp at all now. They'll huddle together at night and share their body warmth. Chicks create a lot of heat!

 

[azygous]

If they are the only chickens you have, stick them into the coop now with a little heat only at night. At those mild temps, no heat is necessary during the day.

 

[BarnyardChaos]

I've had some chicks in my brooder coop for a couple of weeks, at first with a heat lamp. They are now 2-1/2 weeks old. I removed the heat lamp about 5 days ago; they didn't use it at all. I have a heating pad mounted on a 4" high frame in there with them, keeps it about 95-deg-F under the frame. They don't use it, either. They huddle in a corner snug and happy. Our lows are in the 60's at night.

 

[LynnTXchickenmom]

Thanks everyone.

 

[NorthwoodsChick]

You can put a huddle box in the coop. It’s an open front box that they can walk in, huddle up and feel safe within the larger (scary) coop space. 20 ish chicks—maybe a couple of boxes and let them pick with whom they wish to bunk.

 

[LynnTXchickenmom]

You can put a huddle box in the coop. It’s an open front box that they can walk in, huddle up and feel safe within the larger (scary) coop space. 20 ish chicks—maybe a couple of boxes and let them pick with whom they wish to bunk.

Love this idea! Thanks!

 

[janiedoe]

I'm in Texas also. I raise all of mine in a brooder inside the run, spring, summer, and fall. They do fine.
I use a mama heating pad. They only get under it at night, after the first few days. By the second week, they barely use it, even at night.

 

[BarnyardChaos]

.....let them pick with whom they wish to bunk.

Kudos on the grammar! I rarely see anyone using this proper sentence structure.

 

[LynnTXchickenmom]

Kudos on the grammar! I rarely see anyone using this proper sentence structure.

Yes, excellent. I am an English teacher, so I also notice these things.