How to introduce chicks to outside?

[Allegra17]

My 2 chicks are 8 weeks old. I’m ready to move them outside to live with my 3 hens. I think they will be happier getting more space and sun than being in my air conditioned house. However, they are used to my house that is 70ish degrees at all times. Outside, it gets into the high 80s/90s on a daily basis and lows in the 60s. I did a trial run where I put them outside in the shade in a cage near my other ladies for a few hours but they looked hot and panting. Do I just put them outside and allow them to adjust on their own and hope that the change in temperature doesn’t kill them or is there a better approach?

 

[WingItRanch]

Try putting them out in the morning when it's close to 70 and then leave them out so they acclimate as the temperature rises and just make sure they have water.

My pullets have been out in 100+ weather for weeks (with shade, of course) and they're fine. They're pretty resilient!

 

[Allegra17]

Try putting them out in the morning when it's close to 70 and then leave them out so they acclimate as the temperature rises and just make sure they have water.

My pullets have been out in 100+ weather for weeks (with shade, of course) and they're fine. They're pretty resilient!

So does that mean I can just move them out there cold turkey and they will eventually adjust as long as they have shade and water?

Also, is it worth locking them in the coop for a few days so they can get to know their coop and know to come back to it at night? Or will they just follow my other hens?

 

[WingItRanch]

So does that mean I can just move them out there cold turkey and they will eventually adjust as long as they have shade and water?

Also, is it worth locking them in the coop for a few days so they can get to know their coop and know to come back to it at night? Or will they just follow my other hens?

If they are 8 weeks, they'll be fully feathered and fine with the outdoors. If they get hot, they'll pant a little and dust bathe.

As for your other questions... do you have an integration plan? Have your adult hens been able to see these 8 week olds without getting to them? If not, I highly recommend reading up on how to introduce your chicks to your hens. The hens will be very aggressive and may hurt the new girls if you don't integrate them slowly and patiently.

Try searching BYC for other threads with advice. Some people say to wait until they are close to the same size so the adults don't kill the babies.

 

[Allegra17]

If they are 8 weeks, they'll be fully feathered and fine with the outdoors. If they get hot, they'll pant a little and dust bathe.

As for your other questions... do you have an integration plan? Have your adult hens been able to see these 8 week olds without getting to them? If not, I highly recommend reading up on how to introduce your chicks to your hens. The hens will be very aggressive and may hurt the new girls if you don't integrate them slowly and patiently.

Try searching BYC for other threads with advice. Some people say to wait until they are close to the same size so the adults don't kill the babies.

I put the cage of my chicks in the area that my hens are for that period of time they were outside. My 3 hens are all skittish and have never shown any aggression even though I didn’t get them all at the same time. They are the sweetest ladies. My hens were a little afraid of the cage and didn’t seem to want to go near it. It would be helpful for me to look into an integration plan. Thanks. I guess I was just planning on winging it and keeping a close eye because I didn’t know how else to do it.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Your chicks are well old enough to be out. But they do need to be integrated in over the next few weeks, and that means see but no touch either in the coop (probably too hot) or the run, with a protected area to provide deep shade and wind protection. After a week or two, if the hens continue to show little to no interest, clutter up your run area to provide as many hiding spots as possible and then you can start letting them meet with supervision, and proceed from there.

The chicks will NOT follow the hens at all until they feel somewhat safe around them, and even then they'll remain a subflock until point of lay.

 

[WingItRanch]

There ya go! Good advice from rosemarythyme.

 

[Bean1028]

Try putting them out in the morning when it's close to 70 and then leave them out so they acclimate as the temperature rises and just make sure they have water.

My pullets have been out in 100+ weather for weeks (with shade, of course) and they're fine. They're pretty resilient!

Same! Our chicks (except the bantams) have been going straight outside since May, but I'm in Georgia. That being said, my chicks have also been out in 100+ temps, with plenty of fresh water daily & shade. They're just fine. Definitely agree with placing them outside in the early AM or even at night after it starts to cool off.