Moving peeps outside?

[Cindygif]

How cold is too cold for peeps to be outside? My allergies are going insane from their dust in the house. My coop has a peep section where the big girls can’t get to them.

They’re 4 weeks old, mostly feathered but little bit of fuzz left. We’ll have a few nights around 45 degrees in next 2 weeks but mostly in mid-50s. Do I need a heater at night?

 

[Cindygif]

Here’s some of peeps and the peep condo

 

[Ridgerunner]

My chicks go into a brooder in the coop straight from the incubator or post office. As long as you can provide a spot warm enough for their age but also have a spot cool enough so they don't overheat they do great.

A big problem brooding outside are the temperature swings. You need to set it up so that they can stay warm enough in the coldest conditions but when the weather heats up they can get away from that and not overheat. I use a heat lamp and a 3' x 6' brooder so they can get well away from it. If you use a heat lamp, make sure you secure it with wire or chain so it cannot fall. That clamp is a fire hazard. Many people use a heating pad cave even in really cold weather. Some people use a heat plate but some of them are not rated for below 50 F. There are other methods to supply heat.

In another week they will not need any supplemental heat. Right now they might. They are getting close.

 

[Cindygif]

Thanks, I had a heat lamp on them for the first 4 weeks, lately they’ve been moving away from it, so I turn it off in the daytime. I just ordered a heating plate for the peep condo, I think that will keep them warm enough at night so they can stay in the coop now.

 

[5Australorpasaures]

I put our 3 1/2 wk olds out in the coop a few days ago. Temps here have been in the mid to high 80s, nights low 40s. I supply heat at night and they are doing fine.