Greetings! This is a wonderful site, I've learned a ton already! We have 6 NH Red chicks about 3 weeks old. They seemed hugely interested in getting outside each time opened the coop so I let them out in a small pen in the yard yesterday. Is this OK at 3 weeks? I was told at least 6, with their feathers. Once they've learned where their food is, is it OK to put shavings in the coop? We've been using newspaper so far. Should I only be giving them chicken feed at this point? When is it OK to offer scraps? Many thanks to anyone with advice...we're very excited to have joined the world of chicken enthusiasts!
WELCOME!!! You have come to the right place. I love it here. The people are fantastic and the knowledge is bountiful! I an fairly new but I will try to help. As long as your weather is nice and warm, letting them out for a little while should be ok. My last batch of babies perfered cooler temps than what is suggested. So at 3 weeks 70 would have been fine for them. Yes! Once they know what food is shavings are fine. I started mine out with shavings and never had a problem. I know some have though. I was told on here that 4 weeks is a good point to start treats. Some people perfer to wait a while longer. I hope this helps! Again welcome and have fun!
Mine are 4 weeks now and are beginning to start their transition to being outside (so far just "visits to the park"-I am taking them out for a couple hours every day They are loving it! They are also beginning to find out the joys pf fresh corn on the cob and Purslane... They have the corn figured out but the Purslane has them kinda stumped they love to "wrassle" with it though! You said yours are three weeks? get ready for a growth explosion!!!! (Not a spurt!) Mine are so big already just in the last week, they are starting to tip over their 1 gallon waterer causing me to go through the pine shavings rather quickly now!
When you begin to offer treats, you should also offer free-choice grit, which comes in a small size called "chick grit." They will need this to help grind up/digest any food other than their chick feed. Enjoy, and welcome to BYC!
Depending on where you are they should be able to go out now. My 3 week olds have been going outside on their own since they were 12 days old. They have never been inside ever. I say turn them in to the run and let them have some fun. :