Old enough for outside ???

Ok..so..usuallyI brood late spring thru late summer and never have to worry about temps when I move the babies outside. However, I am beyond ready for this group ti be outside. I have 4BR babies that REFUSE to stay in the brooder and will jump out, comr out of the chick room and hunt me down wherever i am in the house. Im not sure exactly how old they are, but around 6 weeks. They will have their heating pad mom in their outside coop as well. Hopefully I'm attaching a pic of our forecast and the babies..

Interested to see the replies


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This is what it looks like here today...
My day olds went out to the coop last week at 4 days old. A heat lamp and some deep shavings. I am in Canada, the temps here have been well below 0 all week and all the chicks are thriving and doing well. So I think you can definitely put them out Mine will have the light turned off by 4 weeks AND be outside...but the temps are supposed to come up above zero and stay there after tomorrow I hope.

cabincreations said:

This is what it looks like here today... My day olds went out to the coop last week at 4 days old. A heat lamp and some deep shavings. I am in Canada, the temps here have been well below 0 all week and all the chicks are thriving and doing well. So I think you can definitely put them out Mine will have the light turned off by 4 weeks AND be outside...but the temps are supposed to come up above zero and stay there after tomorrow I hope.

Click to expand...

Thank you! Thats exaxtly what i was looking for. I dont use heat lamps but it stays very warm inside their heating pad "moms" and most by 2 weeks dont even go under, just lay on top. I have their outdoor brooder windows closed off, tons of straw and pine shavings.. you just took a huge weight off my shoulders and I definitely feel way less guilty about leaving them out..

Here's a pic I just took. Notice the thermometer on the brooder wall. It is away from the light. So reflects more the temperature in the hen house

Well...they're out there. I still feel guilty and they're all acting like dummies..refusing to go up top where the heat is. Ill wait till theyre scared right about dark n hopefully they'll stay put. They were flying back down on my head faster than i couod catch and move them..lol. I think they'll be fine, but brooder is right outside my bedroom window just in case.Now if I could convince the new babies that theyre not really meant to be carried in my hoodie and to stop screaming in the brooder we'll be okay

Boy, do they have your number! Chicks are devious creatures.

I've brooded right outdoors in my run, using the heating pad system, during this time of year when the day temps aren't over 50F and night temps are in the 30s. This is day-olds of which I speak. They do splendidly.

Have you adjusted your frame supporting your heating pad to accommodate the chicks' larger size so they are able to fit under the pad if they need to warm up? Will they all fit if they want to get under it at the same time?

Did you gradually decrease the ambient temperature while your chicks were still indoors so they could acclimate to cooler temps?

These things are necessary for a smooth transition to living outdoors.

LOL Spoiled babies those are! They will be fine, I am sure it is warmer there than here, and mine don't get heat after they have feathers. Don't be feeling guilty...they will be fine!

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Theyve been going outdoors almost every day for the past 2 weeks and then I would just bring every one back in at dark. My brooder room is in the same room as my wood burner, so as for the adjustment, no not really ..but they have been exposed to extreme temp swings. I waited until after dark, and they were all piled in a corner on the ground and moved everyone to the top (its a home made set-up..camper shell on top, then a run under it) .. They stayed put this time..lol. But yeah, I actually have about 9 frames of different heights and widths to accommodate different ages and different sized groups. I also use at minimum 2 pads, and then cover the entire top with towels so they can lay on top if they want. I also keep supports under it, just in case everyone is piled on top and it collapses on top of an one inside (learned that lesson the hard way). Yes, they have me wrapped around their little wings..lol. If I could keep them inside forever, I totally would. But alas, I am also OCD and a complete and total neat freak so its a conflict in my brain of the worst sorts. I still have ducklings, a brooder full of 2 week olds and then another brooder with 3 day olds and ..well... 3 more incubators full....

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As much as I know in my head that this is true... I will still make no less than 67 trips outside tonight to check on them..