Do you think the chicks can go outside fulltime??

[lissalischicks]

Stupid question - My chicks are about 10 weeks old. They appear fully feathered but I haven't put them out yet full time yet. Mostly because I live in California and it's been raining ... A LOT. I feel like if it wasn't so rainy I would have transitioned them out as I have done before but it's never been this cold and rainy. We have a covered run area and an open area (which is MUDDY). Then covered isn't as big so I didn't want the young ones to feel trapped and then big ones gang up on them (it is raining for days at a time so they will be stuck in the covered section).
One more reason/excuse. The nights are pretty cold in the mid 40s.
With that.... do you guys think it is okay to let them sleep outside (in a house with the big hens) now? It is supposed to start pouring again in a few days.... any comments appreciated.

 

[SueT]

My mama hens take babies outside at 2 or 3 days, rain or shine. 10 weeks is hardly a chick any more. They can easily handle 40º and they can handle rain. Make sure they have an option to get out of the rain.

 

[3KillerBs]

yes i do. and they are there right now as we speak. I got them in january and I do not have a good set up for them when they are that young. we are looking into it but just haven't yet. Plus.... it has been raining a lot(for us) and it threw me into a loop.

If that area is big enough and dry enough they can stay there.

This is my improvised integration pen from when I got some chicks a few weeks earlier than expected: Mini-Coop or Integration Pen From a Large Dog Crate

 

[gimmie birdies]

I have chicks going on 5 weeks. it is 40 during the day, and 30 at night.

 

[rosemarythyme]

The rain is the big factor for me or I am just being too overprotective .

You are being overprotective. I raise my chicks outdoors in an uncovered run with our typical PNW spring rains and it has been no problem. I do have excellent drainage and I pile lots of deep litter under the brooder so rain/mud isn't an issue for me, and there's a variety of clutter in my run (as well as the brooder itself) for the chicks to take cover under if it rains.

Your bigger issue could possibly be needing to do see but not touch with limited(?) space if you don't have enough available rain shelters for the adults and babies to use separately.

 

[lissalischicks]

Hey, another Cali flock here so I feel your pain. This year’s littles are only at 4-5 weeks, but we keep throwing them outside in the chick pen every time the rain stops for more than an hour (mostly so the big girls can see them), then bringing em back in at night. As long as you’re feeling good about everyone getting along, I’d take the plunge and just monitor them well the first few days. Good Luck!

The plunge has been taken. Poor things. It's pouring today and they got kicked out of the covered area but I put covered more areas with tarps.

Normally the coop we have is perfect for our weather and has worked for 10 years. But this relentless rain is crazy!

 

[yakitori]

How did you survive with having 8 10 week olds inside?
mine start driving me mad at 3 weeks…

 

[lissalischicks]

How are they doing with the rain?? Everything go smoothly? I’m hoping to throw mine outside next week, they’re driving me nuts!

So far doing well and have survived the downpour and extreme winds. I have temporarily put tarps over another section, so they do have place to go to other than the original covered area. They did get wet but seem to doing dealing with it well. I think this crew grow up a little tougher. Not going dealing with the normal stuff of trying to fit in and get bullied but also dealing with the weird California weather. Fingers crossed for you and your babies as another huge storm is supposed to come!

 

[Hedgeland Farms]

My chicks have been in their coop since day 1 with a heat source. Lows have been 33, highs close to 70 and everything in between with rain.

But they've been in their coop. They are going on 4wks and 2.5wks.
I let them out supervised ...anything 40+
Idk if you have a set up like that (kinda doesn't sound like it) but they CAN go out...

I am no help on the rain.

How many older girls? How big is your covered run?? How many chicks??

 

[3KillerBs]

I brood outdoors from day one, though they don't have access to a run in this setup until they're being integrated into the main coop.

Do you have a "Look, Don't Touch" setup for integration?