Can I put my chicks out during the day?

[martings]

I was wondering about this myself when my new chicks outgrew their brooder box at less than three weeks old. The five chicks were staying in the brooder inside my son's cabin, and he had had enough of them (especially through the night) so for a couple of days I hardened them off like tomato plants by giving them several hours outside in the chickens tractor (my bigger brooder box) but by the third day I just left them out in the "tractor" for the rest of their young chick days. They have a heat lamp in there, in the coop part, and they come running right out every morning when I open the door for them to the pen part of the chicken tractor. Hardy chicks. (In the North Carolina mountains)

 

[MadamContrary]

My husband sprayed our yard Sunday. About how long will it take for them to be okay to free range?

With fertilizer or pesticides? Either chemical can hurt chickens, try researching organic alternatives like bone-meal and trace-mineral seaweed for healthy lawns and chickens.

 

[BScott03]

With fertilizer or pesticides? Either chemical can hurt chickens, try researching organic alternatives like bone-meal and trace-mineral seaweed for healthy lawns and chickens.

I really have no idea. I know it was to kill weeds! Lol okay I will do that

 

[kilby]

Yes you can.
And if it might dip below 60 put a big bottle of hot water in the coop. That will keep it warm for awhile.
I would make sure it is protected from chilly wind though. I face their entrance towards the house under the carport.
My lovebirds and I on a similar note have the house temp at 16C at the lowest so you should be safe with the chicks as long as they can go inside an enclosed windproof housing. A light inside will throw off plenty of heat too. 95% of the electricity throws off heat. I am told that wattage above 50 will turn them into cannibals so I use a ceramic bulb like you get for reptiles. It is 60 watts, not much electricity, and is $17 on Amazon. Good Luck. Show us some pics.
My seven week olds go out if it is going to be sunny so far. They have a rabbit hutch to stay warm and rest.
I also just acquired four day olds.
How many do you have because they can also stay close for warmth.

Owner of 4 sex linked comets, one cuckoo moran Roo, a partridge chantecler, a wellsummer, an americauna, a cuckoo moran pullet, two copper morans and two lavender orpingtons. Keeping the rare breeds alive.

 

[vanderlander]

I just got some chicks to add to my flock yesterday. Two of them are just barely feathered out (pictured). I live in Denver and I was worried because it got down to 41 last night but I made an executive decision to leave them out in my quarantine coop last night. All six of them were just fine. 40 degrees seems to be no problem, especially if they are not alone and share body heat.

 

[kilby]

I think that would be excessive. They can still get pneumonia or colds. Mine when older even than yours got sniffles. I use a plug with a thermostat to turn on and off a ceramic heating bulb. There are different temp ranges you can buy. 2nd precaution is to have a MAX MIN thermometer so you can tell how cold it gets at night and how hot in the day. I found this to be an excellent way to help the flock.

 

[greeneggchick15]

Here in bi-polar Texas I have let may babies out for about 10-15 min a day when it's above 60 and they love it! They don't want to come back in! They are 2 weeks now and ready to bust out of the brooder but I"m keeping them i there for 2 more weeks and then moving them to the coop. I figure if they are cold they will find shelter inside the coop.

 

[mshar3]

I am in Indiana near Chicago. Nights have been cold, 35-40. 8 and 10 week old chicks (6 of them) went out on their own last weekend. I went out with a flashlight a few times too many to check on them. They were huddled up, I felt guilty. But they were fine the next morning, happily scrathing around. No heat light, either.

 

[MemesChicks]

I'm in Oregon--weather is gorgeous right now. My babies are just at 8 weeks. I started putting them outside during the day for a couple of days. This past weekend, I set up their mini-coop/run inside the big run so they could get to know the big girls. The mini-coop is an upside down rubbermaid container with air vents and a door cut into it; I lined it with lots of pine shavings. This is surrounded with a makeshift chickenwire fence (so they have their own run).

They get to go out periodically with the big girls for range time, but in their run, they are kept from eating the layer feed. They are happy as clams! Every now and they, they escape into the big run (like the movie Chicken Run . The big girls don't pay them any mind when this happens.

Oh, I just noticed...I need to add my babies to my signature

 

[kilby]

hahaha I love your common sense approach,, Keep it up