Ok for Chicks to Visit Outside - and a Biosecurity Question

[gr8bskt]

Happy first day of Spring!

Our babies just turned 4 weeks old on Sunday and they are so wonderful - we're in chick heaven. I am so sad for people who don't or can't have chickens.

My question is whether or not it's ok to let them outside for a few hours of a day when the weather's nice like this. They're feathering out nicely, a couple are close to done, but no one's there yet. Is it ok to let them out, then back in the brooder before it cools off? These are our first chickens, and I'm "a little paranoid" ; ) about them picking up diseases if they're not old enough to walk around in the grass. We have two dogs who do walk around out there when we let them outside, and our chicken coop is about 50 yards away from the part of the yard where we'd let them exercise. We also have a very lonely guinea roo that's in the coop and run.

Here's my Biosecurity question: With that guinea roo, we fostered 10 RIR hens for a week in the coop and run (friends were moving and their rehoming didn't go as planned...anyhow...) My question is when it's time for the chicks to exercise outside, and then finally move out to the coop, how safe can I assume it is for the babies? Or do I need to sanitize the coop? The hens weren't out of the run, so the yard where we'd exercise them should be safe. Oh, help. I'm a new mama - can you tell? LOL!

Thanks!

- Jenn

 

[sumi]

Don't worry, two of my hens hatched out chicks yesterday and today and I was out of here first thing this morning, still on my pj's to check on the babies. And I've had many hens hatch many chicks... Nothing new, but I still fuss and I still worry.
I think if it's not too cold you can let your youngsters out. My hens used to walk around with brand new chicks and frost on the ground and they were o.k. They're tough little things.
As for your other concern, I think if you keep your coop clean and spray regularly for mites and lice they should be o.k. We used to keep guinea fowl and chickens all mixed up and there was no problems.

 

[sparkles2307]

Congrats on the babies!

How long ago were the hens in the coop?

The chicks should be fine for short outside visits, but dont let them get chilled at all. If you want them to get grass time you can put a chunk of sod in their brooder and watch them have at it.