2 and 3 week old chicks

[werttyy]

Hey,
I have 4 chicks, 2 2 weeks, 2 3 weeks. They are in a brooder the size of a medium dog crate. When could they live outside? And do they need a bigger brooder?

 

[pharmchickrnmom]

Your babies can go out when they are fully feathered. I put mine out in the coop around 8 weeks old when our weather warmed up. Late May is good here in NY. If your babies have enough room to spread out from each other and you see no signs of stress, then the brooder is big enough. If you see lots of squabbling, pecking at each other, or it just seems crowded to you, then by all means move them to a larger brooder. You can use a large cardboard box. I do and it makes cleanup easy as I just throw it away when I am done. You dont say what kind of chicks you have but if they are large fowl, then you will need to upgrade to a larger brooder before they are ready to go out. They grow fast so be prepared!

Another thing you can do to prepare them for moving out to the coop is to put them outside on nice days in a playpen for an hour or so. I use my dogs old wire kennel with the tray removed. It works well to keep them confined to one area, protected from possible predators and allows them to get used to the outdoor environment. I always sit by the cage and observe them. This is how you get to know your birds as individuals and as a flock. This becomes important in detecting any problems early and addressing them. I move the cage to a new spot each time I take the babies outside. I hope this helps. Good luck and enjoy them!