chicken play out side in temp

[hobos mom]

"Chicks are insatiably curious - after the first week or two, they can be put outside for short periods of time if the temperature is warm." The First 60 Days part #2

What is a warm temperature for chickens to play around for, and how long should they be outside?

 

[damselfish]

There are probably different opinions on this. It was in the 70s here this weekend and our chicks had their first excursion out into a sunny area.

Most of them are 3-4 weeks old, but a few are 2 weeks old. We had them out there for a couple of hours.

Hope this helps and

 

[triplebfarm]

My chicks are outside now, but they always have access to a heat lamp....they are 3 weeks old. Temp is mid 60's during the day mid 40's at night.

 

[walkswithdog]

I put my two week olds out this weekend when the temps were mid to high seventies and the sun was bright.

They did really well, enjoyed the grass and had a blast in some of the earth we dug up for them.

Watch for huddling in a pile just like in the brooder, then they're too cool. I usually bring them in if they all pile up and get sleepy.

I let them play while they're active and busy and then bring them in if they get too noddy and the day isn't actually hot.

 

[runninghen]

Funny: I'm very careful about this when I'm brooding/raising the chicks myself. I only put them out on warm days, and then just for a couple of hours, until they're feathered out.

But my broody hatches out peeps in February and has them outside on day 3 of life, scratching and peeping happily in 30F temps. When they get cold, she hears it in their voices and hunkers down wherever she is so they can climb into her feathers. She doesn't need special chick feed, either: she crumbles food for them into manageable pieces.

Makes me feel like a dummy, how much better she is than me at this.

SO much easier to let her do the work!

 

[CityGirlintheCountry]

What Runninghen said. I was sooooo careful with my first babies. Really "babied" them. When my first broody hatched out a set in December she had them out in the run almost instantly. They ate chick food, pullet food, treats, bugs, you name it. They would zing about and then dive back up under mama for a nap and then out they'd go again. Mama was really tough on them. I was surprised. They are all doing great though. It was quite the lesson for me.

 

[hobos mom]

thank you for the replies they will help me very soon