Do you think I could let my chicks out today? Its in the 80s...

[Willow's Meadow]

So my chicks are 2 1/2 weeks old. I was going to let them outside for a little on Sunday when it will be in the 90s. Right now its about 80 outside and I'm so tempted to let them out. Do you think I could? I'm to worried it's not warm enough. They would be fenced in and I would supervise.

 

[gryeyes]

Yes, it's warm enough. Plus, if you see them huddling (which I doubt will happen in 80 degrees), you can take them back inside. Make sure they have water and feed. And, of course, supervise them the entire time. It's a great reason to be outside all afternoon. ;-)

 

[Willow's Meadow]

I let my chicks out! Not all of them just 8(out of 17). They HAD SOOOOOO MUCH FUN!!!! Oh and who was i kidding worrying about if they would be cold?????? A couple of them were panting!!!! They had a BLASTTTTTT!!!! At first they were like "What the H**!!!!!!" That was the look on there face!!!!!! And they didn't move for 5 minutes or so. But then they started running around and trying to dust bath and eating worms like they'd done it a millon times!!!!!! But they would all freeze and be silent and stretch there neckes up and look around if I walked the other way. And then I'd call them and eventually they'de come running! They wouldn't leave my side and were unhappy if I wasn't right next to them!

I was going to fence in a section of the yard for them. But I changed my mind and just let them in an old flower garden that still has lots of flowers but also has TONNNSSS of grass and weeds(I don't work in it anymore). So I put them in there.

 

[blueberrychickens]

I took my 2 1/2 week olds out today too, they had a ball, playing in the grass, flapping their little wings, eating worms & climbing all over me. Next time you take them out, lay on your stomach & just let them run all around you. I ended up w/ 8 chicks trying to get under my chin! Soo cute!

 

[write2caroline]

All of our chicks are about the same age. I have 20 but I am a little afraid to take them outside and let them run around on their own. They are soooooo ready to be out of the brooder now. Some are HUGE!!!! I can't get my hubby to finish the darn new coop fast enough - Like work is more important than my little fuzzy butts in the brooder of the bathroom! I went to do the roof and the last two doors without him and he got all annoyed with me! And then it rained and rained and rained!

Mine are doing great! They are really feathering out - except the ones I think are austrolopes they have a lot more feathering to do but some breeds mature slower. It has been in the 80's at night so I think it is okay for them to transition outside!

TAKE MORE PICTURES!!!!
Caroline

 

[Kedreeva]

My chicks are nearly two weeks and after a few minutes they like to tell me they are dying in 80 degree weather because it's too hot. I bring out a pan of ice water with me and they give me the D: face and then take turns hopping in to cool off and refuse to leave the shade of the umbrella I set out for them. But then they all scream when I try to take them inside again. Make up your minds!

@ Blueberry: Mine do the SAME THING when we first get outside. They get totally psyched to be out and run around kicking each other in the face for a bit and then they come all try to crowd under me or hop in the icewater pan.

 

[littlemissjellyfish]

My son and I took the 4 week old chicks out on the lawn yesterday. I have 12 so we did it in cycles (2 out, then 4 then 6...then 2 went in...2 more came out...2 more went in...etc!) "Lorretta" my Salmon Faverolle was all stretched out doing "the dead chicken" basking in the sun while the others went foraging under a small bush for bugs. "Eseme" my EE ate a japanese beatle in 2 gulps! When 2 of my bravest girls, "Big Mamma" (Australorp) and "Bun-Bun" (EE), were out the others followed their lead. When they went in the remaining birds looked a little panicked. It was interesting to see the pecking order at work....who followed who in the small groups that were out and what happened when we changed those groups. The coop will be done by the time they are 6 weeks. I'd love to make a mini tractor in the meantime so that they can play outside!