When can they have outside time?

[Ashdoes]

My chicks are a week old today and I'm wondering when they can go out for the first time? We just want to give them an hour or two in the grass as it starts to cool off. But I thought I read that they can get sick if exposed to dirt too early? Any advice would be great.

 

[callahanfarmgirl]

I start letting mine out for an hour or two starting around a week or so old. Of coure I am supervising them. When I am ready to put them back in our workshop I use food to get them to go back in. I have never had any issues with illness & they are so happy & have so much fun. They sleep well after the "field trips".

 

[Ashdoes]

That is exactly what I'd like to do, "field trips" lol.
The thing I keep remember is one post that said "if they've touched dirt, they can have coccidiosis" so of course I automatically start to worry I'll kill the poor things with an hour of outdoor time.

 

[DanEP]

If it's warm enough go ahead and take them out just make sure they don't get to warm. Broody hens take their kids out after a couple of days and they do just fine, in fact some sneaky broodys will hatch on the ground and the chicks seem to do just fine.

 

[chicken6465]

Get them on the ground, I have raised hundreds of chicks and the one who get on the ground always do alot better, somthing about getting grit in thier system. So dont be afraid get them some dirt

 

[flewdacoop]

they love them some dirt

 

[Ashdoes]

They did love the dirt. They got right in it, and pecked away. They also got to fight over, and eat a moth. Everyone had fun,thanks for all the great advice.

 

[galefrances]

When you took them outside, did you have a cage of some sort over them so they didn't fly away? I'm afraid if I let mine out, I won't be able to catch them. Or don't they stray very far? Mine are two weeks old.

 

[Ashdoes]

Mine are one week and i had them in one of those octagon baby gates. They did hop around a lot, but stuck together in a little group. I'm not sure what they would have done without the barrier.

 

[galefrances]

Oh, thank you I'm going to try this tomorrow as the weather should be warm enough. We live near Buffalo, New York so weather is always an issue.