how many weeks until outside full-time?

[Sundown_Farmer]

Mine went outside on their third Saturday...not quite 3 weeks. They had two days of 70 degrees, two nights of 50 degrees and a week of near freezing nights again. No heat lamps, one death the first night. I did bed them with straw the first few cold nights and covered the open portion of the tractor with a tarp.

They can stand quite a bit if they are dry and out of the wind.

 

[Wife's Chicken Killer]

I'm new to crosses and in florida. I plan on holding mine in the brooder (5 ft plastic pool with pine litter) till after 3 weeks. I've never put one of my egger's out until FULLY feathered. I didn't think this would be any different with meaties...

 

[mstricer]

Well Ohio got dumped on again. Hows everyones birds doing? I'm so glad I got mine early. Everyone one has been conditioned to the weather and no problems.
Have a great day off to work. Michele

 

[journey11]

At 2 weeks, yours still need the heat lamp. And they are small, tasty morsels for any passing predator. I'd keep them inside until about 4 weeks (although your temps are very good right now otherwise). This is when they'll go off the heat lamp and they will be well feathered by then.

Mine are ready to outside, but our weather is not cooperating. We've been having nights in the 30's. They are so stinkin' up my garage!

I can't wait to put them out in their grow out tractor.

 

[shellrae7]

We're in Utah and the weahter is still plenty temperamental, and I have 14 Cornish X this is my second batch, but they are the stinkiest birds, so I pulled them out of the brooder at like 3 weeks and put them on the ground.
They are all doing just fine, and we don't even have a light on them at night anymore. They are currently 5 weeks.

QUESTION: The one thing that HAS worried me, is have seen red and pink droppings. I can't remember what this means, but isn't it BAD? Anyone know what the deal might be?

THanks.

 

[mstricer]

Quote:
Mine are also 5 weeks and doing fine I have mine on straw. I have my light still on. We've had some cold weather and got about 2 maybe 3 inches of snow yesterday about gone today. Night temps cold. I guess I don't want them to burn energy to stay warm. But temps are coming up and may do another batch.

 

[bigredfeather]

Quote:
It is likely coccidiosis. It is bad if it occures with a chicken that is going to have a long life, like DP layers. But, it generally takes quite some time for a chicken to die from it. As long as you get them processed in the next 4-5 weeks, they will be fine. If you want to treat them, I would only use something homopathic like probioics. It really isn't anything to worry about. They are still fine to eat, as the problem is within the digestive track only.