is 4 weeks too young?

[Heathero617]

I can't remember how old my others were when I moved them outside. We're having crazy weather, super hot for 2 weeks, now this week nice and cool highs in the low 80's but nights are in the 50's. I have the 2 little guys who hatched out on and around May 26th so they are about 4 weeks. Can I move them outside in a segregated pen now? Why oh WHY can i not remember the ages of my others when I moved them? LOL

 

[Judy]

I'd move them at four weeks, for sure.

 

[Heathero617]

Yeah something has been telling me it's about the same time as the others, but for some reason...... we're to go back to the 90's starting tomorrow for a few days again. I guess i will just put on my chicken pen workin clothes and go out and reassemble the chick pen. They're cute and everything, i'm really tired of cleaning my bathroom of flung feed and poop! I have 2 young kids(4 and 7) and they help love on the birds but wont help clean up after them....go figure!

 

[chickenbarn-gal]

Depends on how warm it is where you are. If its hot, then let them go outside. it's fine!

 

[Heathero617]

Yeah weather liars say we're entering another heat wave of mid to upper 90's for a while. So i'm almost finished putting the chick pen back together now...if my kids would allow me that is.

 

[Heathero617]

I reassembled the peep pen today, had them out all day long and when I went to lock everyone in, they would have none of that!! These 2 little babies who have wanted nothing to do with me acted like they were yelling "PICK ME UP SOMETHING IS GOING TO EAT ME!!!!!!!" and they kept jumping on my hand. So I did what any worry wart Mama would do, I put them back in their inside cage and brought them in to their spot in my bathroom. >sigh< so I guess this will be something I'll do every day for a few days until they get used to it. They absolutely loved being able to take a REAL dust bath, I think they spent the first half hour to hour just doing that. They just sang and sang as they scratched and rolled. It was funny to watch. The "big guys" of course did their investigations and annoyances to them thru the dividing fence and even gave me a hard time as i was putting it all back together wanting to get back into the "coop" since they too spend about 5 weeks in there. But they will go back out in the morning to have the entire day of dust bathing and tourmenting the others while behind the safety of a cage!!! Little baby steps i suppose!

 

[Chick15]

we moved ours outside at 2 weeks (my dad's idea) and they are all healthy and dong fine, i haven't lost one yet!!!

i hope i will stay lucky

 

[Nicole01]

I did. My youngest two were 4 weeks with the second batch. I had chicks in the house for over 2 months and was more then ready to get them out in the coop. The 4 week olds were nearly fully feathered.

 

[meditativerose]

My chicks are about 4 1/2 weeks and the hubster is insisting we put them outside. They're getting big (except the bantams, LOL), but if I remember right, we kept our first flock inside until about 6 weeks. We currently have 3 RIRs and 2 Australorps that are just over 2 year old. I'm REALLY nervous about putting the babies in the coop with the full grown hens. The babies are 3 Easter Eggers and 5 Silkie bantams, and I'm super-nervous that the Australorps and the dominant RIR will pick on them. Any thoughts? Am I right to be so concerned?

Also, the chicks are still on starter feed, about 2/3 done with their bag. I think last time we kept them inside until they finished their bag of starter feed; I'm a bit concerned about putting them with the larger hens with their granule food- we mix grit and oyster shells into the food. Is that a valid concern? This is our first time adding to the flock and I'm just unclear about how integration really works or what's the best way to go about it.

 

[BoltonChicken]

The little chicks need the grit but NOT the oyster shell. Keep their feed apart somehow.