What age can I put them outside?

duckncover

Duck Obsessed
14 Years
Jan 17, 2009
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I have 2 silver wyandotte pullets that I bought to raise for my cousin who just started a coop. He has a few buff orpingtons that are grown but have not started laying yet. When would it be a safe age to introduce them? I was told they were 3 weeks old when i got them.
 
I put mine outside at 8 weeks, but that's only because I have older chickens out there so they need to fend for themselves a little bit. 6-8 weeks should be okay in my opinion. =) But it depends on your climate and such. Good luck!
 
If these chicks are to be living with your cousins hens, the chicks should be introduced from inside a protective pen immediately. This gives the hens an opportunity to get to know the chicks and to see them growing. Soon they will be considered part of the flock by proximity and it'll make it much easier when they begin to mingle.

You don't say how old the chicks are now, but if they haven't feathered out yet, they will only be able to spend short periods away from a heat source. Simply take them back to the brooder when they begin to chill.

Many of us let our chicks begin to mingle with the adults when they're as young as three weeks. Small openings in the chick pen provide access for the chicks but none for the adults. This has proven to be an efficient and safe way to introduce baby chicks long before they are full-size.

But waiting until much later to introduce the chicks to the hens makes it harder because the hens will see the chicks as intruders. It makes the merger all the harder in my opinion.
 

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