Can I let my 2 week old chicks out for some fresh air?

[Willow's Meadow]

My chicks are a little over 2 weeks old. It is going to be 93 degrees outside on Sunday. It's 90 degrees in there brooder right now. Could I let them out into a fenced in area for a little bit just to play? It would be a good poultry fenced in area and there are no big chickens around and we would supervise them the whole time. What time did you start letting your chicks out to play?

 

[chicmom]

Oh sure! I have a piece of fence that was rolled up, so I set that up like a playpen--in a circle shape, and I put that on the grass so the chicks can peck around and eat some of the grass and clover and such. You could really let them out there all day if you wanted to, and just take them into their brooder at bedtime. Just make sure they've got a shady spot, with plenty of water. (And of course, that no predators are around.)

It's really fun to watch them get so excited! At first they might be a bit scared....anyhow, you'll enjoy watching them!

Sharon

 

[bturbo87]

that would be fine if you notice the huddleing together then its time to get them back under the heatlamp but they should be more than fine

 

[gritsar]

They'd be fine, with supervision. They really don't need 90 degrees in their brooder @ 2 weeks old. Closer to 80 to 85.

 

[Coreyboy18]

I started bringing mine out at about a week and a half. I tried putting them in a pen, separate from me, and they started screaming bloody murder. So the next day I left them out in the yard and sat with them and they were fine. We go out for about an hour a day now and they love it. They're about three weeks old now.

 

[Kedreeva]

Mine started going outside with me (when the sun was out) when they were about a week old. They got totally pumped and started zooming around (using their wings to go faster!) and falcon punching one another in the face. They they realized if they flapped hard enough they could climb up on me while I was sitting and scream at each other from my shoulders.

Make sure you take them out while it's warm and sunny, bring some shade out with you (I set an umbrella on the ground for them to get under) and some nice cold water, because mine actually work themselves up so much they start panting. They don't so much drink the water as stand in it for a few seconds to cool off before going back to kicking their siblings in the teeth. Weirdos.

 

[Willow's Meadow]

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[Tomhusker]

I have 4 Lavender Orps that will be 3 weeks around Monday. I will take them out tomorrow after making them this neat little brooder pen:

 

[Qi Chicken]

I would definitely take them outside. Due to predators ours didn't go outside until we got the run finished, they were about 11 weeks. Now they won't go outside hardly at all. They are scared of the outdoors and prefer to sit (and poop) in their coop. My chickens drive me crazy!!!