Moving chicks outside

[jcornett37]

Ok....I am about a week and a half away from moving my babies outside. They will be 6 weeks old. I will have the heat lamp for them in coop but outside of that....I am a little lost as to what I need to make sure they have. I have a hanging water feeder and a trough type feeder but what else do I need to think about? Help!!!

 

[azygous]

Just make sure they're safe from predators. Do they have a run so they can run and play outside?

It would help if you told us where you are located in your profile info. That way we'd have a better idea of what kind of climate your babies will be dealing with.

But at six weeks, they're pretty much set to go. If you don't have to worry about single digit nights, you probably can even forget the heat lamp.

 

[JadedPhoenix]

I agree. Hard to advise without knowing your location. Here in NC, I've always brooded my chicks outside, even in the winter. I don't think I'd do the same if I lived up north.

Also, you don't say if you have other chickens or if these chicks are your only ones. That can make a difference as well since you'd want older hens to see but not be able to get to the the chicks right away if you have brooded them inside.

 

[jcornett37]

My apologies!! We are located in Central NC. They have a chicken palace for them.....to say the least....I may move out there with them! We went overkill with everything and they would be the only survivors in any natural disaster. Of course I am only speaking of structural items and I am wanting to know what i need to proveide them relating to foot, grit, oyster shells....etc..... These are our first ladies....2 Rhode Island Reds, 2 Buff Orps, 2 Dominique, 1 Welsummer. Does this info help?

 

[JadedPhoenix]

My apologies!! We are located in Central NC. They have a chicken palace for them.....to say the least....I may move out there with them! We went overkill with everything and they would be the only survivors in any natural disaster. Of course I am only speaking of structural items and I am wanting to know what i need to proveide them relating to foot, grit, oyster shells....etc..... These are our first ladies....2 Rhode Island Reds, 2 Buff Orps, 2 Dominique, 1 Welsummer. Does this info help?

Start them with some flock grower then and you only need to provide the oyster shells when they get close to laying. Grit would be nice, particularly if you are giving treats but if there is dirt in the run, they'll get some naturally that way.

We have had a mild winter here in NC so your birds should be fine without the heat lamp. In fact, my birds have always feathered out faster without the lamp 24/7. I had some last year when we had SNOW on the ground and had chicks where they could go away from the lamp as they wanted and at less than a week the chicks were enjoying the sunshine and only going back to the lamp when they got chilled.

 

[jcornett37]

Start them with some flock grower then and you only need to provide the oyster shells when they get close to laying.  Grit would be nice, particularly if you are giving treats but if there is dirt in the run, they'll get some naturally that way.  

We have had a mild winter here in NC so your birds should be fine without the heat lamp.  In fact, my birds have always feathered out faster without the lamp 24/7.  I had some last year when we had SNOW on the ground and had chicks where they could go away from the lamp as they wanted and at less than a week the chicks were enjoying the sunshine and only going back to the lamp when they got chilled.  

The run is currently all grass so I will supply some grit just in case.....extra cant hurt can it?

 

[JadedPhoenix]

Right. They will take what they need.

 

[azygous]

I'm serious about space to run and play. Many people raising baby chicks have never seen their chicks fly. Yes. Fly. Chicks can fly. And they are capable of low level flight until they grow into their ultimate, rather ponderous adult chicken bodies.

Yet most people never think to provide their baby chicks with the space to exercise their little wings from around two weeks on. It's a delight for them, and it's usually accompanied by shrieks of excitement from both chicks and human observers.

So, after you've seen to their nutritional needs, I hope you will try to provide them with a little supervised freedom each day to flex their little wings. You'll be very glad you did.

 

[JadedPhoenix]

The same could be said about adults chickens too about the flying. I LOVE seeing them take flight. I once had some that would fly up to perch on top of my house when I let them free-range. My current run has an 8 foot high netted roof and my hens constantly go all the way up to the net when they are startled.

When looking at how much square foot for each chicken, at least double the average recommendation. I like to do even more if you have the room. My pen is 22' by 50' for less than 20 chickens and they are very happy with the wing-space and they don't get on one another's nerves as much as if they were crammed in there. Plus, it doesn't get nasty since there is ample room for the poo to go. And I can keep green stuff growing in there from spring to fall.