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pdnarus10 said:
Hi. Great to see this site. I have 4 chicks. They're officially 8 weeks old today. I couldn't wait to put them outside. I waited because it was so cold at night. I did keep turning the temperatures down in my brooder for conditioning. The lowest was 70. Some of the chicken farmers. That I saw on videos recommended letting them outside for an hour at a time for a couple days, then putting them back in the brooder just for them to get used to it. I did that and they liked it. I then put them in the coop for the first time, but I had the heating plate on low because it went into the fifties, low fifties. My chicken coop is a little small. It can only fit 2 chickens. So I had to put 2 coops together as was the design if you wanted two. This will be the first night without a heater. I was encouraged by the info here so I think they will be fine now but this coming Fri and Sat will be in the upper 50s with 47 at night. I'll turn the heater on then. They are fully feathered but I think they still need some conditioning because of the extreme temp variations. Thanks.
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Welcome to BYC! I used to put mine out by 8 weeks...as long as they are fully feathered. One thing I love about this age is that they sleep all flopped over on each other like puppies! So cute! Eventually they roost and don't do this.
 
Hello and welcome to BYC! :frow Glad you joined.
pdnarus10 said:
the upper 50s with 47 at night. I'll turn the heater on then. They are fully feathered but I think they still need some conditioning
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I'm going to recommend you do what the birds are comfortable with and high recommend you don't turn on any heat. They are way past needing it and supplying unneeded heat only slows down their acclimation to normal weather gradients.
I've had 4 week old chicks in the coop roosted next to their mother's, not under her, with night time temps in the low 40s and everyone was perfectly content.
 
Hello and welcome to BYC! :frow

Congrats on your new flock! I feel they are definitely over due to being outside at 8 weeks old, however all birds need acclimated to colder temps if that temp is 20 or 30 degrees colder than what they are used to. You might bring out to the coop a small "safe to use" heater for the first week, used only at night. They will use it if needed, won't if they don't.

Best wishes with your babies!
 
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Welcome to Bee Why See!
 
TwoCrows said:
Hello and welcome to BYC! :frow

Congrats on your new flock! I feel they are definitely over due to being outside at 8 weeks old, however all birds need acclimated to colder temps if that temp is 20 or 30 degrees colder than what they are used to. You might bring out to the coop a small "safe to use" heater for the first week, used only at night. They will use it if needed, won't if they don't.

Best wishes with your babies!
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I only used the heater once since Friday. I think they will be fine
 

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