CHICKEN RAISING VIRGIN

[natashasalazar]

Are there any photos that SHOW when a chick is "feathered" and ready to be moved outside? My six chicks are starting to outgrow their indoor brooder (<-- is that the right word?) and I want to move them outside. It's April in Ohio, and the days are warm, but the nights are still "frosty". I don't want them to freeze, or put them out too soon. HELP! Thanks

 

[ChickenCanoe]

How old are they and can you provide a heat lamp in the coop?
Mine go outside the day they come out of the hatcher.

 

[BrendaJ]

Hello from Oregon & welcome to BYC. There is great info in the learning tabs above. Some people wait till the chicks are around 6 weeks old & others place them outside with heat lamps & protected from the elements. Good luck with your little ones

 

[Kristen616]

Are there any photos that SHOW when a chick is "feathered" and ready to be moved outside? My six chicks are starting to outgrow their indoor brooder (<-- is that the right word?) and I want to move them outside. It's April in Ohio, and the days are warm, but the nights are still "frosty". I don't want them to freeze, or put them out too soon. HELP! Thanks

haha I just posted the same question pretty much! I am in the same boat in Upstate NY. They are outside all day but I move them inside at night. But I think they'd rather be outside full time. Their brooder (yup right word!) is getting small for them.

How old are your chicks?

 

[natashasalazar]

I bought them from Tractor Supply about 2 weeks ago(during "chick week") If you click on my profile pic, that was taken this past Sunday. I'm not sure EXACTLY how old they are.

 

[Kristen616]

This is what mine looked like last week. The barred rocks and rhode island reds (the 4 to the right) just have a few more feathers on their heads this week, and the wyandottes (the littler ones to the left) have grown a ton this past week and have gotten lots more feathers. Last week the 4 bigger ones were 5 weeks and the littler ones were 4 weeks.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Again, if you can provide a heat lamp they're ready.
I had 2 and 3 week olds escape into the woods before when it was in the 40s at night. I thought they were goners only to return in the morning none the worse for wear.
Healthy chicks are tough as nails.

 

[natashasalazar]

Well, my coop is too far away from the house to run electricity to. They have the heat lamp inside. That's why I'm asking when I can put them outside. I never even thought of putting them out during the day and bringing them in at night, DUH! That's an excellent idea! Thanks!!!