introducing young chicks to the outdoors

[lablover]

At what age can you start letting the chicks on the ground to explore and peck around? (In a confined space and under a watchful eye of course!)

 

[americanvalkyrie]

It's a combination of age versus temperature. Tiny chicks need an environment of 95 degrees or so, decreasing as they age. If it's 70 degrees or more, chicks that are a week or so old can go out. Just make sure to bring them in if they huddle together. They're not supposed to go outside to stay until they're fully feathered out at 6 weeks.

However, I have some chicks that are 6-9 weeks old, and they're inside right now because we're having a cold snap. And when they do go out, it's in a covered run, and they still come inside at night. When the nights are in the low 50s, I'll have no problem letting them stay out.

 

[lablover]

Thanks! Mine are around 2 weeks old. I know it will be awhile until I can leave them out, but what about small "play times" where they're allowed to be on the ground and get some energy out? Is there anything that they can catch from being on the ground health wise?

 

[Fierlin1182]

No, no problems with them being out in the open, although there are certain plants poinsonous to chickens (they're not very common I don't think, and the chickens usually keep away from anything nasty-looking anyhow)
It's good for the chicks to go out and have a bit of a stretch! Two weeks, we started leaving our chicks out in the coop for maybe half the day at a time, althuogh that was summer and this is Australia, so I don't think that counts.
Watch them, if they look cold or huddling together, take them back in because they're too cold.

 

[lablover]

Okay, I'll be sure to keep them away from plants just to be safe. What if they eat grass? At what age can they start eating more than just chick feed?

 

[americanvalkyrie]

They'll probably peck at the grass but won't eat much. And grass won't hurt them at all. I've found that it takes a few weeks for the foraging instinct to really kick in.

 

[Fierlin1182]

Yep, grass isn't harmful at all, we actually put some grass into the brooder for them to play around with, they ate it all up. Outside they tend to go more for the dirt, where they can scratch and pick up insects.

 

[kstokes]

ours are two weeks today, and they've gone out for 15-20 mins at a time, mainly for photo shoots

Once they stop playing and start slowing down, back inside they go!

 

[blueberrychickens]

babies that are raised by momma's are out scratching around from the start. Just keep an eye out for any signs they are getting cold, like distressed peeping & huddling. I'm sure they'll do just fine for a short romp in the grass!

 

[lablover]

Thanks, everyone! Can't wait to get them out!