At what age can chicks go outside?

[brierose3]

At the moment we have one 5 day old chick with its mother in a brooder in our bathroom. Now that the hen has left the two remaining eggs and with the chick, have started wandering about the bathroom and scratching around making a mess, I was wondering when I could let mamma hen take her chick outside for a little field trip. It would only be for short periods and I would be supervising the whole time...

 

[CrazyChookLady5]

what I do when I have a broody chook with chicks, is after they're about 5 days old (and not too cold) I lock them out side the indoor part of their coop so they can get some fresh air. after about 1 or 2 days I open the door of their coop so they can go back into the indoor part of it, but they usually stay out of that part anyway. I let they out with my other chooks when their are about 4/5 weeks, but I think you can them out earlier than that.
here's a picture of my coop for broody chook and her chicks:


hope this helps and isn't too confusing!!

 

[ChickenLegs13]

You said you would be supervising so any time would be fine. My baby chicks live outside as soon as they jump out of the nest.

 

[Michael Apple]

When chicks are brooded in-house without a mother hen, chicks can get chilled. When they get chilled, their resistance goes down ,and they are more susceptible to disease. This is why we supplement heat for the first 6 weeks of their lives. Fresh air should naturally be a part of the indoor environment. They shouldn't have to go outside to have fresh air, and one is taking a big chance putting them outside during the colder months..

 

[ChickenLegs13]

Yeah but brierose's chick has a mother hen and it's warm in Australia right now, so like I said, anytime would be fine.

 

[Beekissed]

I agree!

 

[Michael Apple]

I disagree. If the two remaining eggs still need to hatch, letting her out with a hatched chick will compromise the remaining chicks to be hatched. A grow off pen with an inside nest area/coop at floor level would be best instead of a bathroom to be moved in and out of. Something to plan in the future.

 

[Beekissed]

I've never seen a broody that went back to eggs after leaving the nest for already hatched chicks. The OP indicated she had left the remaining eggs. It's a done deal..I'm doubting there will be any more chicks from that hatch.

 

[Michael Apple]

How long remains a mystery. That would determine much. Hens will get off a nest periodically before others hatch. I've seen it many times. Otherwise they'd starve to death.

 

[gander007]

what I do when I have a broody chook with chicks, is after they're about 5 days old (and not too cold) I lock them out side the indoor part of their coop so they can get some fresh air. after about 1 or 2 days I open the door of their coop so they can go back into the indoor part of it, but they usually stay out of that part anyway. I let they out with my other chooks when their are about 4/5 weeks, but I think you can them out earlier than that.
here's a picture of my coop for broody chook and her chicks:


hope this helps and isn't too confusing!!

X2 mine are treated about the same and remember no big open containers of water should be around as this will cause you the loss of a new chick