How Long Before Chicks Can Go Outside

[RedBuff]

This may have been asked before. After how many weeks can chicks go outside in the yard or garden? Also can the be given grass clippings of vegetable scraps?

 

[Judy]

Both have been discussed here many times, and the range of opinions is wide. It's probably best to limit any additional foods pretty severely when they are very young, to prevent crop and digestive problems, and to insure they get a well balanced diet. As they mature, diet can be more varied. A mother hen takes her chicks outside at 2 or 3 days, but they have the mama to run under for warmth. Many experienced chicken keepers never have the chickens in the house at all. Chickens can definitely live outdoors in most any weather (maybe not northern Alaska) at 8 weeks, and again, experienced keepers often put them in a coop without added heat at half that age or even less. If you take them out for short outings and have a large enough brooder that they can get away from the heat entirely, you will learn to tell by their behavior whether they are comfortable.

I brooded my last batch in the coop with a heat lamp, and lots of hay to snuggle into. By 3 weeks the chicks were staying away from it, even to sleep, so I turned it off. I don't remember what the outdoor temps were exactly, but it was spring, so likely a 50-80 range.

 

[LittleDarlings]

I took my chicks outside last week on a warm sunny day. This weekend they were outside both days for a couple of hours with supervision. They had a blast running in the grass and pecking at ANYTHING that moved! LOL The kids and I had a great time watching chicky football. If one chick found a leaf, they would run through the others and out the side. Once the other chicks saw that one had something they would chase him down for it. If he dropped the leaf, the kids would yell "Fumble". It was great. I don't know who had more fun, the chicks or us!! I haven't given mine any goodies as of yet. I figure I will once they are feathered and able to maintain their own temps. If their body can do that then it should be ready to handle treats and such.

This is my first time ever with chicks, so my advice comes with very limited knowledge...except what I've already learned on here

Have fun!!

 

[RonC]

Again not alot of experience. Mine are 3 weeks old and I built a 4x8 pen in the yard. On warm days I will take them outside for about 30 minutes and watch them. They seem to have a good time pecking the ground, scratching and acting like chickens. Sometimes they all come to me and huddle around and the next they all go to the other end of the pen chasing a bug. Seems they enjoy the fresh air and being out of their brooder. As soon as they are a little older and the weather stabilizes I plan on moving them outside.

 

[jecombs]

We are supposed to have temps in the mid to upper 70s this week, so I plan on taking them outside to enjoy the nice weather. We are planning to move them to their permanent coop (un-heated) when they are about a month old, assuming they are fully-feathered out. That will probably be the first or second weekend in April. I live in NC though, so our Spring temps are pretty warm.

 

[billl2099]

we started to let our 12 production reds out in the run at age 2 weeks old for a couple hours , they're 5 weeks old now and doing great

 

[RedBuff]

Thanks, this helps. I guess trial and error in the order of the brood...

 

[RedBuff]

Thanks, this helps. I guess trial and error in the order of the brood...

 

[RedBuff]

Thanks, this helps. I guess trial and error in the order of the brood...

 

[RedBuff]

Thanks, this helps. I guess trial and error in the order of the brood...