Hubby says no to moving them outside

[slk70]

I need some advice please.

We’ve got 4, 3-week old chicks, and 2, 2 month (we’re guessing here as they were given to us but they’re about twice the size of the babies) old chicks that are in a separated cage inside our house.
Daily temps here are high 90’s during the day, low to mid 70’s at night.
I say they’re ready to be moved outside, he says no.
They can go outside, in the cage, on our concrete back porch or in the run with the bigger girls.
what do y’all think?

 

[nao57]

Well most of us have had issues with predators.

I myself lost one that age to a hawk at about those ages also.

Most people will tell you that the hardest part about keeping poultry alive is that everything else wants to eat them.

I don't think either of you are wrong, its just a matter of perspective.

Here's an example, I've got ducklings 2 weeks older than your younger chicks. I haven't put them outside without supervision until today because even my adult drake wants to eat them when he sees them. (You would never guess it by the look of him, he's the friendliest drake to humans that ever could be. He even comes right up to me and rubs his bill on my finger.)

So imagine my shock when this friendly drake the first time I put the small ducklings outside goes straight after them so fast I barely stopped a duck murder. And that took only a few seconds when he saw them to decide 'food'.

Do you have a pen to put them in? Something safe? And night predators are often worse than the day predators.

Also, I was running some math figures and it seems like it would be cheaper for me to buy electric fence kits than buy material and build a second coop just for ducklings. And by doing so I could even have more options because the poles etc would be adjustable and moveable. (Although this doesn't account for winter.)

So it depends on what you have as an alternative.

And if yours are in a garage, there's not really any harm I think.

(People will notice if you are putting cocks outside though, because right around after ...shoot I forgot the right age... at some point the cocks will start making noise.)

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

I would give the young ones at least another week.

 

[Ryguy3684]

As long as they are mostly feathered in, they can be outside. A picture would be good. Can you section off part of the big girls run, so they can look, but not touch? If so, that'll be the best route to go

 

[Sonya9]

IMO the three week olds are way too young to go out at all, but most especially in a pen with older pullets. People typically don't put them out until they are fully feathered at 5-6 weeks and mixing with older birds is a whole other issue.

I am sure they are getting somewhat messy but that is what we sign up for when we brood chicks in the house.

 

[Lovem all]

Give you littles an extra time but the big girls are ready

 

[Ryguy3684]

IMO the three week olds are way too young to go out at all, but most especially in a pen with older pullets.

Yes, Definitely don't put them in the open with the older birds.

 

[The Happster]

I'd also wait and give the little ones more time.
Mine went out full time at 6-7 weeks.
They had the heat lamp until about 5 weeks.
The 8 week olds can go out, sure.
But three weeks is a tad early for young birds that aren't fully feathered, overnight, without a heat source.

 

[Ryguy3684]

I swapped the quantity and age of your birds, sorry. I would say 4 weeks is the youngest I'd put them outside, so long as they're feathered.

 

[Birdsong 82]

It depends on you outside setup really ( run covered or no? Type of wire, freerangimg supervised or unsupervised?) but 3 weeks it's safe especially with those temps. I would keep them separate from the older ones ( see but no touch) at first but