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StephC28

StephC28

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Hello!
I am a newbie to owning chickens. I have 4 RI reds and 4 Barred rocks. They are about 2 weeks old and started perching yesterday :) For a brooder I am using a cardboard stove box and they all seem happy. Any tips about raising chicks?
 
At what age can they go outside? I've read 4-5 weeks but living in New England you never know what you are going to get for weather. It could be 70 during the day and 30 at night.
 
Hello :frow and Welcome To BYC! They can go outside for field trips that young if the weather is nice, just watch them and as long as they are running around doing chicken things they should be fine, if they start huddling and acting cold time to bring them back in. If you want to put them out in your coop, it would depend on if you can give them the temperature they need, using a heat lamp etc... otherwise most people wait until they are around six weeks old and fully feathered.
Great place to check out is the Learning Center, lots of nice articles on all aspects of chicken raising, you might especially like the Raising Chicks ones https://www.backyardchickens.com/atype/1/Learning_Center
 
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Welcome to BYC!

Congrats on the new babies!! Great that you already have them perching! I like to get them started early too as it makes it a lot easier to transition them to the coop. And yes, be prepared with a bigger brooder. They grow very fast and big quick and will be fighting if they out grow their space. You have been given some great links to follow on raising your new brood. Generally you can them out at 5 or 6 weeks. You can take the heat lamp out with them for use nights only for a couple weeks if you are having a cold blast. You can take it away after a week or two.

Enjoy your new chicks and welcome to our flock!
 

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