How old...

[Jen4]

Just wondering how old do your chicks need to be before you take them outside to play and what temp. should it be outside?

Thanks

Heres my babies going to bed for the night...

Good Morning...

 

[sherrydeanne]

The temp outside needs to be about what it should be inside. So 2 weekers could go out in 80ish degrees, 3 weekers in 70-75ish, etc.
Honestly though, if it's sunny and it's just for a few minutes, I'd take them out when it's colder. My 4 week olds spent about a half hour out in 60 degree weather and loved it.
That probably doesn't help

 

[Jen4]

Guess I'd better wait then... its not sunny today and its 50 something degrees out, plus they are only about a week old. Thanks

 

[scarter]

I wouldn't take them out in 50 degree weather but we put ours out in the pole barn in April when they were young and just made sure under the heat lamps it was to temp. They wandered out of it for a while and had fun but always ended up back around the heat lamp.

 

[Mahonri]

When they are almost fully feathered at 5 to 6 weeks, you are much safer with them out in 50 degree temps.

 

[vortec]

I opened up the run with all of the babies in the coop and allowed them to come and go as they pleased. The youngest were 4 weeks, and it was 60-70 degrees. Mostly it was the older roos that came out but they all at least poked their heads out to see what was going on. I had the heat lamps going so they could go under them if they were cool too. Its great having the space of a horse stall, lol

vortec

 

[Jen4]

Thanks Everyone...

vortec wrote:

Its great having the space of a horse stall, lol

Yes that is nice... I've got to find something bigger for my babies, til we get the coop built, going to be working on that this weekend if the weather lets us

... so of these guys like to run and try to fly already, its funny to watch them, lol.​

 

[vortec]

Quote:
Yes that is nice... I've got to find something bigger for my babies, til we get the coop built, going to be working on that this weekend if the weather lets us

... so of these guys like to run and try to fly already, its funny to watch them, lol.

Thats how it was with mine. I had 6 chicks each in several 45 gallon containers and they were so edgey and full of energy. They wanted to fly and run but there was simply no space. They got into the habbit of turning the waterer over due to boredom. I decided right then and there that they were old enough to move out. I strung several brooders from the rafters and turned them loose in the stall and they look a lot happier now that they can fly around and stretch their wings. I now have every chick over there which is a lot less work then having them in the little brooder. A lot less cleaning for sure. Good luck on getting the coop built

vortec

 

[Jen4]

Thanks

 

[Spires6]

It depends on time of year and weather. Last year we got chicks at the end of May, so we started putting them out during the day by 2 weeks of age and they did fine. I added a few more chicks 3 weeks later after a predator problem and it was hot out by then, so I think they were outside right away and did fine. I brought them in the garage at night more because of predators than warmth. This year we got chicks much earlier so the boys can show them in August. They probably will be much older when they go out. They are in the house for now until things warm up and they feather out. It won't be long.