PHASE II: THE COOP
Within a few weeks, your chicks will soon be big enough to move into their coop. As they grow, it will
become obvious that your brooder won’t hold them forever and forming a plan around how and
when to introduce them to the coop or outdoors is a great idea. Here are some important things to
remember when moving from baby brooder to adult coop.
1. Chicks should be mostly feathered - At 5 to 6 weeks your fluffy chicks will start to resemble adult
birds by growing out pinfeathers. These adult feathers will help them regulate their body temps better than fluffy chick down.
2. Chicks should be acclimated - Although they start off at 90 - 95 degrees in the brooder the first
week of life, you need to decrease this temperature each week until the temperature inside the
brooder is close to what daytime temps will be. For the first few weeks (and especially if outdoor
temperatures are fluctuating), you may want to bring the birds back into the brooder at night or in
bad weather .