Chicks and weather

[sierraboots]

We live in Iowa and wondering if it’s too cold to move our chicks outside. They’re all around 7 weeks old and I’m wanting to give them more space, the smell is also getting overwhelming. We also have two ducks that have gotten along terrifically thus far with the chickens. The coop is fully blocked from wind and elements.. but they’ve never been outside before.

 

[Lazy Farmer]

View attachment 1319207 We live in Iowa and wondering if it’s too cold to move our chicks outside. They’re all around 7 weeks old and I’m wanting to give them more space, the smell is also getting overwhelming. We also have two ducks that have gotten along terrifically thus far with the chickens. The coop is fully blocked from wind and elements.. but they’ve never been outside before.

Chicks should be separated from ducklings.
I've had to swap out duckling brooders every single day. They are wet and messy and pooey. The chicks really shouldn't be exposed to wet conditions.
I wish you the best.

 

[aart]

By 7 weeks your chicks should be off heat completely and acclimated to cooler temps before putting them outside. Most folks start taking them out for 'field trips' during the day, and open a window in the brooder room to cool down temps there, by 3-4 weeks.
Are there other birds in your coop?

 

[lazy gardener]

Agreed with Aart. My chicks are brooded outside and wean themselves off heat by the time they are 4 - 5 weeks old. At that time, night time temps are often down to freezing. The important thing here is to acclimate them to cold weather. By 3 weeks of age, if brooded in the house, they should be off heat completely. They can spend increasingly longer lengths of time outdoors in their predator proof coop/run, until by the age of 4 - 5 weeks they are moved out for good.

 

[sierraboots]

Perfect thank you guys. This is our first time with chickens so we’re still learning. They have been off heat inside for a couple weeks now. We took them outside today to play and will continue to do that for a couple days. They really enjoyed it. This is them in their run. The coop is completely closed off and predator proof and we will put them in there at night. We have no other birds in there.

 

[aart]

Keep it cool where you keep them in the house at night.

Agrees with Connie about ducks water mess not being good for chickens environment.