Moving chicks outside

[paleochick]

This has probably been addressed somewhere but here is my question. I have 3 week old chick about half feathered out. It is about 60-65 during the day and around low 50s at night. My coop is well insulated and I only have two young hens it it right now so lots of room for others. Coop is off the ground and has a couple nesting boxes lines with wood chips and the bottom of the coop has a couple inches of bedding. No added heat. I am running out of room in the house as the chicks are growing so fast and I have another order coming in a week ( I ended up being a clearing house for a bunch of my friends).

Any thoughts on not putting the chicks out?

 

[Kikiriki]

Not yet...no sleepovers!

Do start taking them out in the day, but not overnight. You didn't ask this, but I'll mention it just to be safe: it would be bad to just mix the new pullets in with your two girl flock,... They must be protected and introduced over a period of time. Newbies in a cage in the run, or a fully fenced off portion. Then when they do overnight, start them in the coop on the floor in the same protected manner. At five weeks old my girls were feathered out almost completely and they went right to their coop. If you portion off a part of the roost for them, that would also be good so the big girls don't push them off when they start to roost.

 

[paleochick]

I have put the chicks out during the day with my two hens and so far only a little confrontation. Couple pecks here and there.

Guess I will wait....

 

[gcbsmommy]

Not yet...no sleepovers!

Do start taking them out in the day, but not overnight. You didn't ask this, but I'll mention it just to be safe: it would be bad to just mix the new pullets in with your two girl flock,... They must be protected and introduced over a period of time. Newbies in a cage in the run, or a fully fenced off portion. Then when they do overnight, start them in the coop on the floor in the same protected manner. At five weeks old my girls were feathered out almost completely and they went right to their coop. If you portion off a part of the roost for them, that would also be good so the big girls don't push them off when they start to roost.

I am wondering b/c mine are 3 weeks old now, too. We have 27 of them...mostly feathered out except for their heads. We have an enclosed coop with 2 inches of pine shavings on the ground, 8 nesting boxes and 2 big roosting poles... I would love to send them out as soon as possible...and I live in central FL as well... With the cold snap down to 36 earlier this week, I am just wondering if I should wait until we are past the cold snap stage... Any thoughts? Thanks!

 

[Kikiriki]

Not yet...no sleepovers!


Do start taking them out in the day, but not overnight. You didn't ask this, but I'll mention it just to be safe: it would be bad to just mix the new pullets in with your two girl flock,... They must be protected and introduced over a period of time. Newbies in a cage in the run, or a fully fenced off portion. Then when they do overnight, start them in the coop on the floor in the same protected manner. At five weeks old my girls were feathered out almost completely and they went right to their coop. If you portion off a part of the roost for them, that would also be good so the big girls don't push them off when they start to roost.

I am wondering b/c mine are 3 weeks old now, too.  We have 27 of them...mostly feathered out except for their heads.  We have an enclosed coop with 2 inches of pine shavings on the ground, 8 nesting boxes and 2 big roosting poles... I would love to send them out as soon as possible...and I live in central FL as well... With the cold snap down to 36 earlier this week, I am just wondering if I should wait until we are past the cold snap stage...  Any thoughts?  Thanks! 

Sorry, I was off the site for a bit and I did not get a notice that someone responded...

What did you do and how did it go?

 

[roostersandhens]

Not yet...no sleepovers!

Do start taking them out in the day, but not overnight. You didn't ask this, but I'll mention it just to be safe: it would be bad to just mix the new pullets in with your two girl flock,... They must be protected and introduced over a period of time. Newbies in a cage in the run, or a fully fenced off portion. Then when they do overnight, start them in the coop on the floor in the same protected manner. At five weeks old my girls were feathered out almost completely and they went right to their coop. If you portion off a part of the roost for them, that would also be good so the big girls don't push them off when they start to roost.

I agree. Day = go ahead let them play over night = bad idea
Good Luck!