how do i introduce my chickens to the outside?

[olivetree]

so im a new chicken and duck mom. i don’t know exactly how old they are but they have their feathers and are starting to lose their baby hairs. it’s still a little chilly for them to be out. i love in indiana so the weather is different every single day! but in the next few weeks it will start to be warm. so my question is, what is the best way to introduce them to the outside and the dirt?? i heard they can get sick from eating to much of the dirt so how do i prevent this? any tips would help!!

 

[rosemarythyme]

Is the coop ready? Are they weaned off of heat already? If answer to both is yes, I'd look for a nice day when I'd be available to check in on them, then put them in the coop and lock them in for a couple of days to home them to the coop. After that you can open up access to the run.

 

[olivetree]

the coop is about to be ready. few more things to work on. i still have the heat lamps on since it’s been getting in the 30s at night. they aren’t outside. it just gets cold where they are. will they adapt to the soil? should i put a little soil where they are at now so they get accommodated to it?

 

[Mamatomany123]

the coop is about to be ready. few more things to work on. i still have the heat lamps on since it’s been getting in the 30s at night. they aren’t outside. it just gets cold where they are. will they adapt to the soil? should i put a little soil where they are at now so they get accommodated to it?

How old are they?if they're old enough then 30 is not too cold for them. My 6 week old chicks spent some nights outside in 20 degree weather without any extra heat source. They did just fine. They actually prefer the cold instead of hot weather.

 

[SilkiesnFrizzle]

Make sure the coop is done and 100% predator proof first. If you want them to aclimate to the outside, do it during the day when it's warmer. 30's is too cold for chicks. Be careful chicks and ducklings fall prey to hawks so if you take them outside without the coop, don't take your eyes off them. If you built a run that's awesome. Dirt wont get them sick, it's the coccidiosis in the dirt that can make them sick. Medicated chick starter has amprolium in it which kills the cocci. The ducks in the other had can go out soon, baby ducks are much more hardy than baby chicks. Do you have the ducks and chicks together?

 

[blackfishfin]

so im a new chicken and duck mom. i don’t know exactly how old they are but they have their feathers and are starting to lose their baby hairs. it’s still a little chilly for them to be out. i love in indiana so the weather is different every single day! but in the next few weeks it will start to be warm. so my question is, what is the best way to introduce them to the outside and the dirt?? i heard they can get sick from eating to much of the dirt so how do i prevent this? any tips would help!!

We waited for our chicks to be about 6 weeks old before putting them outside. We started by putting them outside just for quick breaks and for them to have fun. They absolutely loved it. If you notice that they are huddling together a lot and fluffing out their feathers when they aren't sleeping, then I would keep them inside for a bit longer. Other than that, just let them hang out in their coop and monitor them closely.

 

[rosemarythyme]

If you want to give them some soil now to play with that's fine. Put it in a shallow dish or tub and they'll likely try to dust bathe in it, or at least scratch around.

Also I missed that you have ducks as well. I assume it'd work the same with ducks, weaning them off heat and then putting them out on a nicer day. Also giving them field trips outside right now isn't a bad idea either. An hour or two to start, then if they're doing well you can ramp it up. Just make sure to keep an eye on them to ensure they're not getting too chilly and that no predators get to them.

 

[TheOddOneOut]

I let my 2 week old chicks roam in the yard (with me close behind) for about one hour every day. They enjoy it. But the weather here is ~65-70 during the afternoon when I put h
them out.
They LOVE worms!

 

[chelseachook]

I would leave them in the coop for a few days before letting them outside, so that they come back to the coop at night and know where home is. Also, check that they can't get through gaps in the chicken wire. You don't want them escaping before they are familiarised with your coop. Good luck!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

How many do you have? Do you have an old play pen? You could put them outside in a play pen so they get some sunshine, fresh air and exercise in a protected situation for a few hours under your watchful eye for a few days. Rather than turn them loose to scatter and be hard to catch later or subject to aerial predators. We used a big dog crate modified with hardware cloth when our first batch were little. They could peck and scratch the grass through the open bottom and were easy to transport. Good times!