Is it okay to take my chicks outside supervised to explore?

[olijo123]

Hi! I have a few questions for all you chick experts! lol It has been awhile since I have had chicks in the house so I cant remember a whole lot. Anyways, I have 10 Serama chicks that I hatched out with my incubator. And they are all staying in the basement. They are 4 weeks old and I want to take them outside supervised to let them run around and stretch for 15 minutes or so. So....Are they too young? What temp is safe enough for them? And do they have to be on chick grit? oh and one more thing! My other chickens free range, so the chicks would be running around where they have pooped, so would this matter? Thanks!

 

[Nike]

I think it's fine to let them run around I don't know about where the other birds were because my birds are in the backyard and I always let the babies in the front. It's good to have chick grit which you just sprinkle a little bit on their food.

 

[foreverlearning]

Put them in a pen of some sort for the first week of outside times to get the bigger girls used to talking to them. After that they should range fine but catching them is a hole nether problem. Some people have wire pens, some use upside down play pens for babies, and some people use small dog play fences. I have a dog crate that I use for their "coop" to go into when they are young at dusk. I simply close it up and bring them inside to be put in the brooder. Until they are feathered enough to stay outside I only let them play in the pen. When they are fully feathered I let them range with the dog create to go into for dusk, and when they are ready for the coop I let them stay outside in the coop overnight. Yes, they need grit when ranging. Just put a bowl outside and they will take it when needed.

 

[olijo123]

I think it's fine to let them run around I don't know about where the other birds were because my birds are in the backyard and I always let the babies in the front. It's good to have chick grit which you just sprinkle a little bit on their food.

Thanks for your help!

 

[olijo123]

Put them in a pen of some sort for the first week of outside times to get the bigger girls used to talking to them. After that they should range fine but catching them is a hole nether problem. Some people have wire pens, some use upside down play pens for babies, and some people use small dog play fences. I have a dog crate that I use for their "coop" to go into when they are young at dusk. I simply close it up and bring them inside to be put in the brooder. Until they are feathered enough to stay outside I only let them play in the pen. When they are fully feathered I let them range with the dog create to go into for dusk, and when they are ready for the coop I let them stay outside in the coop overnight. Yes, they need grit when ranging. Just put a bowl outside and they will take it when needed.

Thank you for the advice!