are they old enough????

[cjeanean]

My Buff Orpingtons are a little over a month old. it's gonna get up to almost 80 today, and I'm wondering, since they have most of their feathers, if I can let them outside for a little while......I NEED OPINIONS!!! LOL!! Thanks!

 

[chickenfeed]

I took mine outside at 5 weeks of age with temps at 70 for about an hour. They loved it!! That was a couple weeks ago and they're all doing fine with no problems at all. Wish the weather would get nice again up here long enough to take them out again.

 

[lovemychicks9]

Hi ! My Buffs are almost 3 weeks old and on these nice sunny warm days I take mine out for and hour or two so they can enjoy the shining sun and get some fresh air. Just don't leave them alone or where it is really windy and I think they should be fine. I have one of those Chick-n-Hutch brooders (looks like a rabbit hutch kinda thing) and we just set it ouside under the roof in where their run will be when we get it fenced. They love to be outside though.

 

[cjeanean]

Hmmm...okay, I just need some ideas....my salmon favorelle isn't feathered in yet, so she and my EE (I think) are gonna have to stay in....Salmon Favorelle is only mostly feathered....unless you guys think she'd be okay outside as 75% feathers and 25% fuzz????

 

[sweet_peeps]

At 4 weeks old they should be down to 70 degrees,
right?
I have a large dog crate in the pen/run with a heat lamp
inside and covered on top and 3 sides with a thin
blanket.
I leave the lamp on during the morning and then again
when it starts to cool off so they can go in and get
warmed up if needed.
Mine are 4 weeks old also but are feathered pretty
well.

They are having a blast outside!
They never want to come in.
I may leave them out at night with the same setup.
(Closed inside the crate, that is)
As long as you can keep the temp at 70, they'll be fine.

It's good for them to get exercise and fresh air.
I think it makes them healthier.

*End of my book*!

 

[lovemychicks9]

At almost 3 weeks my americaunas have lots more feathers and not alot of fluff left and they are bigger then my buffs who are feathering in nicely but still have quite a bit more fluff. The lady at the feed store said they are the same age but I am thinking they may be a bit older. They are bigger then my buffs too! Aren't buffs supposed to be bigger then americaunas when full grown? I thought they were but what do I know, just a new mom. Anyway I protect my buffs a bit more if I put them out for a little bit. Everyone seems to really be enjoying being out of the hutch and just on the floor in shavings now. I put them out on the floor last night long enough to clean the small coop for them and they had a BLAST, my husband and I laughed so hard at them being silly in the shavings trying to take dust baths, so I decided to leave them out of the hutch last night and they did just fine! I do have the light over them in the corner for warmth and if it gets to chilly at night I will put in the oil radiator for them again. My husband has the inside of the big coop soo nice for them now he just has to finish the fencing all around the outside run and we are good to go!