Need help adjusting a house chicken to the outside

[Ridgerunner]

Are you sure? He has been pampered inside a house with warm temps his whole life. Can I just place him outside all at once when it freezes at night or is that cruel?

Am I sure those temperatures won't hurt him, yes. Am I sure of anything else? No. I don't know enough of the other circumstances to feel like I understand what is going on, especially with integration.

Also, chickens generally don't like change. Moving him will be a change, there might be parts of that move he doesn't like. Chickens are also pretty adaptable, my brooder chicks usually get used to being in total darkness for the first time in about 15 minutes or less. They might complain for a while though. He may not like being in a strange place for longer than that, but he will adapt. Or he may love it out there, I really don't know. But will those temperatures hurt a healthy cockerel that age, not in the least.

 

[LaFleche]

Whatever you do with regard to the temperatures, do not forget to quarantine prior to bringing him near your other chicken.

 

[PioneerChicks]

Am I sure those temperatures won't hurt him, yes. Am I sure of anything else? No. I don't know enough of the other circumstances to feel like I understand what is going on, especially with integration.

Also, chickens generally don't like change. Moving him will be a change, there might be parts of that move he doesn't like. Chickens are also pretty adaptable, my brooder chicks usually get used to being in total darkness for the first time in about 15 minutes or less. They might complain for a while though. He may not like being in a strange place for longer than that, but he will adapt. Or he may love it out there, I really don't know. But will those temperatures hurt a healthy cockerel that age, not in the least.

Okay, I will leave him out there tonight. Thank you for the help!

Whatever you do with regard to the temperatures, do not forget to quarantine prior to bringing him near your other chicken.

 

[centrarchid]

To mitigate stress when moving outside challenged by potential cold stress, I like to move them out during the warmest part of the day. Then they have more time to acclimate to lowering temperatures. I also make so they roost up and away from walls of pens. Nothing more unpleasant that having a naïve chicken roosting against side of pen forcing a raccoon or opossum to chew or reach through pen to get a meal.