How old does a chick need to be to put outside in cold weather?

[ChocolateMouse]

You've got a long wait, largely because your chick is alone. I would say two months, then play it by ear. If you've still got snow and cold, or cold and rain, wait for milder weather. Try to get the chick a friend if you can. If you want to bring the adults in, that's fine, but set them up with a fence wall first (so they can see but not touch) and later a creep, not direct access. A creep is a wall that has gaps in it small enough that the adults cannot pass through but big enough that the chick can, like rails on a baby crib. Adult chickens can peck a baby chick to death. Observe them closely.

 

[TattooedChicks]

I’m also from Kansas and I wouldn’t personally attempt a lone chick for outdoor winter brooding. That being said, at the end of the month I will be attempting to graft a handful of chicks onto some broody bantam girls in their own newly built section of my coop that will have a heating pad cave and possibly a mounted lamp to keep the temps a little more comfortable on the worst days. I don’t believe in constant high ambient temps throughout an entire brooder, only adequate sources that my chicks use in spurts before running off to cooler sections. Between three possible heat sources, I have good hopes for these chicks to make it through February and into the kinder spring season.

 

[Twitchy Bee]

Ended up doing the same. Mine were born Dec. 5th and theyre still living in my closet. The roosters have been crowing for a month now and get into tiny fights once in a while. I'm slowly turning my heat down but its only 65° so far. Its supposed to snow this weekend and I was rehoming the roos this Monday. Ugh. Am I stuck with them for another month??? Theyre starting to drive me insane. Thought I was giving the roos away much much sooner.

 

[ammie1018]

I live in South Texas, Houston are. It's already in the 70s here. I think from what I've read my chicks are about 2is weeks old. Would it be ok to move them to the coop full time. Thoughts please

 

[happyhens1972]

Not yet, they need heat until they are fully feathered as the fluff does not allow them to regulate their own temperature well. If in a brooder, you would drop the temp by 5 degrees a week, starting at 95 degrees so they should be at the 85 degree stage at the mo and this would include night time temps xx