Chick Questions!

[bubbalucas]

Hello all, I had some questions regarding my chicks.

Here are some background on the chicks first.

The chicks were bred in my Homestead, they were hatched from my rooster and my hen in an incubator. They are splash Americana buff Orpington mixes. There are four. The first one hatched on May 18, and the last on May 23.

I’ve also attached a picture of the upcoming weather forecast for my location.

My coop currently has four hens in it, and usually a rooster, but that rooster is currently being isolated.

I have exposed my chicks to my hens on multiple occasions and my hens could honestly care less about them.

When is the earliest date that I could safely begin keeping my chicks outside overnight?

Thank you!!

 

[redinator]

How many chicks do you have?

Edit: I see the answer (4), missed on the first pass.

 

[bubbalucas]

How many chicks do you have?

4

 

[redinator]

Hello all, I had some questions regarding my chicks.

Here are some background on the chicks first.

The chicks were bred in my Homestead, they were hatched from my rooster and my hen in an incubator. They are splash Americana buff Orpington mixes. There are four. The first one hatched on May 18, and the last on May 23.

I’ve also attached a picture of the upcoming weather forecast for my location.

My coop currently has four hens in it, and usually a rooster, but that rooster is currently being isolated.

I have exposed my chicks to my hens on multiple occasions and my hens could honestly care less about them.

When is the earliest date that I could safely begin keeping my chicks outside overnight?

Thank you!!

At six weeks old they're fully feather. I put my 2 week old (in a chick pen) out but I has 16, so there were enough they could huddle for warmth.

With temps I'm seeing I'd say they'd be safe at 3 weeks as long as they are kept dry on the rainy days I'm seeing in the forecast.

I'm still fairly new to raising chicks, so wait for others to weigh in.

 

[StinkyAcres]

I think they can go outside now. But I would create a safe space for them to stay away from any aggressive hens and also huddle in if they get cold. A box with a chick-sized hole in it should work.

 

[rosemarythyme]

"Last week" if temperature is the main concern. They do still need to be integrated in with the adults.