When can I move my baby chicks into their coop/run?

[Shogun99]

Hello all. I am still a newbie to the chick thing and I received my order of 25 chicks last week (one was DOA) so now I'm down to 24.

My big question is, when can I move them to their outside coop? They're probably about a week old and I've heard vastly differing ideas. One page said as early as 4 weeks, and others have said not for 3-4 months (My garage and kiddie pool hook up won't last 4 months!).

They were born the second week of August (11th-15th)...when would be a good time to move them outside to their more permanent home? I've already gotten some of them used to the idea by getting them out and letting them roam in the grass for about an hour a day or so.

Ideas? Advice? Anything?

 

[Chickerdoodle13]

Typically I recommend moving them when they are about 6-8 weeks, and have most of their feathers. You could even do it as early as five weeks, but I like to be sure they will survive outside before leaving them out there at night. If the nights get cold, you might want to consider putting up a heat lamp at night, just to keep them warm for another additional month or two.

 

[pkeeler]

It depends. What is the night time temp. and will you have a heat source in the coop? I would think you could move your whole brooder set up from the garage to a coop if you could move your heat source with it. Chicks will eat more and grow faster with night time light too.

Generally, the chicks can be moved out when they have their feathers. Some breeds get them earlier than others. I moved mine out at 5 weeks, but that was in July when overnight temps were 75-80. If your overnight temp is below 70, and there is no heat source, then I wouldn't move them until 6 weeks at the earliest.

 

[1WildHairL8tr]

Quote:
Don't mean to highjack this post, BUT
Is a mama chicken considered a sufficient heat source?

 

[Mahonri]

I had my brooder in the coop and at 4 weeks they were flying out of it and into the coop. (8X12 coop) They would fly back into the box to get warm, but the coop was closed up and they were safe.... no other chickens present so they had a great time.
They slept in the brooder, until they found they could fly up to the roosts and then I removed the brooder box.

 

[silkiechicken]

If you can make your coop have an area that is suitable as a brooder from day one, no reason to keep them in a pool. I often brood mine outside from day one. Sometimes I keep them inside for a week, but usually out they go with a heat lamp. If the mother hen only has a few to keep warm, she's fine.

 

[pkeeler]

Is a mama chicken considered a sufficient heat source?

Of course

Hard to argue with Mother Nature!​

 

[toddntiff]

I actually just put mine out in their coop for the first time tonight...I hope I can sleep!!! I have it all closed in and a heat light in there and of course all of their "toys" from their brooder so it feels like home to them. They love the extra space and are flying all over. I will check on them in a couple hours and the temp, but I think they will be fine!

 

[haymil]

My chicks are 2 1/2 weeks old. They all arrived two weeks ago in perfect condition... We are so in love with them!! What did we ever do before??? They have been been inside the house in a brooder box for the past two weeks although we do let them go outside in a pen for a few hours each day in morning adn night when it's not too hot. I let them sleep outside for the first time night before last. The brooder box had a lid and a light for heat. They were fine so I let then sleep outside again last night. I lost one of the babies last night and I feel so bad! We have been taking such careful care of the babies. Here it's too hot during the day and although it was about 80 at night that is the only think I can think that happened. I couldn't bring myself to tell my 11 year old daughter that we lost one of them.. and I am hoping she won't notice... They will be sleepin' inside for another week or so...

 

[cmom]

I put them in a small run when they are a couple of weeks old with their brooder. I do have the run covered. I leave their food and water in the brooder and they always have access to it. I put my girls in the coop usually when they are a month old and definately by 6 wks. I leave their brooder in the coop for a few days and they would go in and out then I take the brooder out.
I have a red heat lamp that I put over an area in their coop. They will move around until they find their ideal spot. I have the lamp tightly clamped up and the cord put where they can't each it. I use a brooder lamp, but mine has clamps on it.