Letting chicks outside?

[riacz]

Hi all, I have been reading through some of the other questions and answers on this subject, but most of them pertain to chicks hatched in an incubator. Mine were hatched by a hen, and they are two weeks old now. I have mom and babies in a small brooder coop I built. The chicks don't spend too much time under mom anymore. Today is supposed to be in the upper 80's. Would it be ok to let them run around the pen for awhile today? Also, I'd like to let the mom out to free range with the other hens for a bit. Will the chicks be ok without her? Thanks for any advice you can offer!

 

[Mace Gill]

Hi all, I have been reading through some of the other questions and answers on this subject, but most of them pertain to chicks hatched in an incubator. Mine were hatched by a hen, and they are two weeks old now. I have mom and babies in a small brooder coop I built. The chicks don't spend too much time under mom anymore. Today is supposed to be in the upper 80's. Would it be ok to let them run around the pen for awhile today? Also, I'd like to let the mom out to free range with the other hens for a bit. Will the chicks be ok without her? Thanks for any advice you can offer!

If you're confident that the flock is safe from predators and that the others won't pick on the babies, you can le them All out together. If not, let momma and babies forage together away from the flock.
Mine was out with hers at two or three days old.

 

[centrarchid]

I would not separate hen from brood. Major stressor. I have a couple hens with broods currently that are penned much of the day except on weekends when out almost all day. Neither ranges with flock. I have groups trained to come back to pens when called.

 

[Isabella F]

I think the chicks would love to get a chance to be outside!

 

[Chickassan]

Let them all out together, at two weeks those babies are busting to get out, mom is too probably. She will watch those chicks no worries, in my personal experience the rest of the flock are very respectful of new mama's since they can be terrifyingly protective.

 

[Chevalia's feathered farm]

Hi all, I have been reading through some of the other questions and answers on this subject, but most of them pertain to chicks hatched in an incubator. Mine were hatched by a hen, and they are two weeks old now. I have mom and babies in a small brooder coop I built. The chicks don't spend too much time under mom anymore. Today is supposed to be in the upper 80's. Would it be ok to let them run around the pen for awhile today? Also, I'd like to let the mom out to free range with the other hens for a bit. Will the chicks be ok without her? Thanks for any advice you can offer!

My silkies have hatch some chicks of her own and some ducks for me. ( great little incubators if you ask me ) For the first 4 days I let her stay in her coop and nesting box to let the chicks get their land legs then I let them out in a little pen together ( mother and babies ) until they are a week or two. Then from there they are agile enough to keep up with their mom and they just follow her around and free range with her all day. The other hens and ducks didn't really bother her if one got to close the mom would shoo them away. I found that getting baby chicks and ducks outside sooner is very beneficial to the little guys it helps strengthen their legs and gets them to forage with their mother to find all the natural things they need to help them grow.

 

[riacz]

Thanks for all of the replies! I ended up letting mom and babies spend the day in the pen together, while the other two hens were out free ranging. Everyone seemed happy!