Hi guys, my first year with cornish xs do you think about 5 weeks is ok to put them outside? The are kind of big and feathered out. The weather isn't to bad here now. Thanks Brian
If they are feathered out and its not getting much below 65 degrees or so at night, as long as they are in a coop that isn't drafty or anything they should be okay.
Mine have been outside in a cattle panel coop since day 1...drafts and all. It was still getting down into the low 30s at night up to last week and most days were only 40s-50s all the time they've been out there until just this week. They are now 3 wks old. CX have a higher metabolism and they don't get as chilled as a normal breed chick. After the first week with a heat lamp, I'd find them lying anywhere BUT under the heat lamp...it was just too warm there. They now do without the heat lamp altogether and it is still down in the 40s at night here.
At five weeks old and fully feathered, as long as it's not too cold at night where you live, they will be just fine outside. I have a Silkie broody who routinely took babies younger than yours outside in the run in freezing temperatures this winter. When they were cold, they would just scoot underneath her for a little while and when warm enough, would dash back out and play again. I think we overheat chicks given what I have witnessed in my broody hens with their chicks. There are photos of my Silkie (Freida) with those chicks outside this winter here.
My last batch went out at 2 1/2 weeks. As well as a batch of dual purpose breeds. Temps down to low 30s. I find I go shorter and shorter inside time with each batch. I get tired of the cleanup. The same cleanup outside just seems easier when it is outside and things can be a bit more messy.
When I started watching my broody hens with their chicks, I realized that we overheat chicks and keep them heated for longer than necessary. I started using the Brinsea EcoGlow brooder a few months ago and it really drove the point home that chicks will regulate their own temperatures if given the chance. No more dangerous heat lamps in the brooder for me!
Ditto for the Brinsea Ecoglow! I am amazed by this product! My 10day old Freedom Rangers are now hanging out 'on the fringes' of the brooder heater. They're really self-regulating. I've raised the brooder heater to 3/4 of it's height possible - and the chicks were still 1/2 in, 1/2 out most of the day. At night, they're snuggling beneath it, but it's getting in the high 30's here...I don't think they need the heat per se - I think they like the feeling of security in the dark being under something. I'm going to test this theory with an upside-down empty box tomorrow night! See where they choose to sleep - under the heat, or just under something. (Already dark here now, and I doubt they'd move in the dark.) If I were you, with 5wk old CX, I'd move 'em outside! It's warm enough around here now. They generate a lot of body heat! Just make sure the pen is predator proof. Hate to hear of folks loosing their birds at this stage - nearly to harvest!
