Keeping chicks outside

[Natalie65803]

Can I keep a two day old chick with a pair of 4 week old hens? Can I keep them outside in a coop or does the chick need to be inside. Temps here are in upper 80's in the daytime lower 70's at night.

 

[alaskanchicken]

I wouldn't. Do you just have the one little one? It might get lonely. It probably still needs a heat lamp, even with it being 70 at night. Do you have them in a coop? I would worry about preditors too. It is pretty easy to rig up a plastic bin with a light for a brooder.

 

[scratch'n'peck]

the first week chicks need to stay pretty consistently at 90 degrees F. If they were being raise by a hen mom they spend a lot of time under the hens feathers.

four week old chicks can peck at a one week old chick and seriously hurt her.