Moving chicks outside: time to acclimate to heat?

[le_bwah]

I have eight chicks (quail, if that matters) that are two and a half weeks old, feathered except for their heads and breasts. The plan was to move them to a grow-out pen inside the main outdoors enclosure to let them get to know the current flock. They'll have plenty of water and shade, but I'm a bit worried that the temperature jump from 73F inside to 100F outside will be too much of a shock for them. Should I take them on "field trips" outside first to get used to the heat, or could they be fine moving straight out?

 

[FeatherFreak]

Whenever I have babies or not so healthy birds, i always try to give them fieldtrips outside.
Each day i will let them out a bit longer then bring them back in.
I’ve never just had them in and thrown them out. I have always been to afraid it might make them sick.

 

[le_bwah]

Thanks for the input. Yeah, I'm afraid they'd overheat if I put them straight out. I'll put their current brooder outside during the day for a week or so, hopefully that will give them enough of a taste it won't be a huge shock.

 

[FeatherFreak]

That should be fine.
It’s better to be safe than sorry.

 

[Kat2141]

you may want to put a thermometer in there to see how hot it is inside. 100 is pretty warm and it may be higher than that inside the brooder, depending on ventilation. Maybe not but thinking it might be kind of like a car can be hotter inside. I know when we had mid-90's, my girls were panting like crazy and they had free run of a large barn and yard.