Outdoor pen question

[Latonya20]

I have one month old chicks and wondering how old they have be to put in a pen outside. This my first time raising chicks since I always buy the adults.

 

[50-45-1]

Depends on your set up outside, your location and weather.
If you are talking about integrTing them with older birds i would set them up in a portioned off section of the coop. Again, it depends on your set up and coop.
I always move chicks outside after about 2 weeks. Their heat lamp usually goes with them. I just decrease wattage of bulb so eventually there is dim light and no heat.
After they are fully feathered, they should be ok with no heat source. The light helps them to go inside at night though at first.
Tell us more particulars of your specific situation for mor accurate advice.

 

[trumpeting_angel]

Yes! Welcome to BYC!

It helps to know your location, especially with this question. (Northern Ontario? South Carolina? You can see it would make a difference!). And you can add it to your profile.

Do post an intro in the introduction thread. That way folks can welcome you and show you the ropes.

 

[SurferchickinSB]

I have one month old chicks and wondering how old they have be to put in a pen outside. This my first time raising chicks since I always buy the adults.

I live in Southern California and I’ve put my chicks out during the day at one and two weeks old with a heat lamp. They loved it! I used one of those expandable kennels and put painters paper around the sides and a sheet on top, so it wouldn’t be breezy and nothing could get them from above. The bottom was the ground and plants and I put little branches in there that they could hop onto and use as roosts. I got mine last April 2018.

 

[Latonya20]

Depends on your set up outside, your location and weather.
If you are talking about integrTing them with older birds i would set them up in a portioned off section of the coop. Again, it depends on your set up and coop.
I always move chicks outside after about 2 weeks. Their heat lamp usually goes with them. I just decrease wattage of bulb so eventually there is dim light and no heat.
After they are fully feathered, they should be ok with no heat source. The light helps them to go inside at night though at first.
Tell us more particulars of your specific situation for mor accurate advice.

I live in East Tennessee so it could be very hot outside during the day at night it be around 62 or so. I have pen separated from adult fowls and it does have chick run for them.

 

[Latonya20]

Yes! Welcome to BYC!

It helps to know your location, especially with this question. (Northern Ontario? South Carolina? You can see it would make a difference!). And you can add it to your profile.

Do post an intro in the introduction thread. That way folks can welcome you and show you the ropes.

I live in East Tennessee it gets very hot during the day time. However I do not know if I could put them in a ground coop or a wood floor coop at that age.

 

[Latonya20]

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I live in Southern California and I’ve put my chicks out during the day at one and two weeks old with a heat lamp. They loved it! I used one of those expandable kennels and put painters paper around the sides and a sheet on top, so it wouldn’t be breezy and nothing could get them from above. The bottom was the ground and plants and I put little branches in there that they could hop onto and use as roosts. I got mine last April 2018.

Thank you for your advice I was worried it would kill them at that age but worried that they was too young to be in chick run with grass or put them in wood floor coop

 

[DobieLover]

I live in East Tennessee it gets very hot during the day time. However I do not know if I could put them in a ground coop or a wood floor coop at that age.

What is your setup?
I'd have put them out already. They can and should be exposed to the soil they will live on by about 7 days old.
If it is that hot, you will need to provide lots of shade and cool water. Heat will kill a chicken much easier than cold.
Some, myself included, provide a very large piece of ice in a shallow plastic bin in a shady location. The chickens will wallow in it and drink the cold water to help keep cool. I also cut up fruit into small pieces and freeze it then break up the chunks and feed them.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Some of us raise them outside from Day 1, either in brooders or with broody hens. But you did not so let's go from there.

At that age they can handle those nighttime lows without supplemental heat, that is not an issue. If you want to and can do it safely there is nothing wrong with providing a warm spot for them out there, just give them plenty of room to get away from it if they think it is too hot. And be careful during the day, don't cook them.

Broody hens raise their chicks on dirt and in grass. In give my brooder-raised chicks dirt from the other chickens' run after a couple of days in the brooder. This gets them started on any flock immunties they may need, gets grit in their system, and gives them any probiotics the other chickens have. You did not do that so their immunity systems have not been strengthened. Don't panic, lots of people do it your way and it works out fine. You just need to be observant, which you'd need to be anyway. Your biggest risk is probably coccidiosis. Your risk from coccidiosis is not all that high if conditions are dry. If the weather sets in wet the risks go up but just watch for the signs and start treatment if you see them. Most people never do.

The way I understand it you have a wood floored coop and grass filled run just for these chicks. You have all kinds of options. I'd want to get grit in their systems pretty early. You can always buy chick grit at the feed store and offer that to them in a separate container in their brooder but I'd probably cut a piece of turf maybe 6" square and put that in the brooder so they can demolish it. Or just take some dirt and offer them that in a different container. Or take them outside where they can peck at the ground and get their own.

After they had grit I'd put them in the coop only for a few days, probably with bedding if some kind on the floor. The purpose of this is to let them know they have a safe place to go out of the weather if they need it. Then give them access to the run. You may need to move them into the coop at night to sleep, sometimes they want to sleep in the run. But if you are consistent in moving them into the coop when it gets dark they should get the message.

You haven't done anything different than a lot of people on this forum do, usually with great success. Good luck!

 

[Latonya20]

Some of us raise them outside from Day 1, either in brooders or with broody hens. But you did not so let's go from there.

At that age they can handle those nighttime lows without supplemental heat, that is not an issue. If you want to and can do it safely there is nothing wrong with providing a warm spot for them out there, just give them plenty of room to get away from it if they think it is too hot. And be careful during the day, don't cook them.

Broody hens raise their chicks on dirt and in grass. In give my brooder-raised chicks dirt from the other chickens' run after a couple of days in the brooder. This gets them started on any flock immunties they may need, gets grit in their system, and gives them any probiotics the other chickens have. You did not do that so their immunity systems have not been strengthened. Don't panic, lots of people do it your way and it works out fine. You just need to be observant, which you'd need to be anyway. Your biggest risk is probably coccidiosis. Your risk from coccidiosis is not all that high if conditions are dry. If the weather sets in wet the risks go up but just watch for the signs and start treatment if you see them. Most people never do.

The way I understand it you have a wood floored coop and grass filled run just for these chicks. You have all kinds of options. I'd want to get grit in their systems pretty early. You can always buy chick grit at the feed store and offer that to them in a separate container in their brooder but I'd probably cut a piece of turf maybe 6" square and put that in the brooder so they can demolish it. Or just take some dirt and offer them that in a different container. Or take them outside where they can peck at the ground and get their own.

After they had grit I'd put them in the coop only for a few days, probably with bedding if some kind on the floor. The purpose of this is to let them know they have a safe place to go out of the weather if they need it. Then give them access to the run. You may need to move them into the coop at night to sleep, sometimes they want to sleep in the run. But if you are consistent in moving them into the coop when it gets dark they should get the message.

You haven't done anything different than a lot of people on this forum do, usually with great success. Good luck!

Thank you very much for the advice you have given. I’ll do that