Outside for the first time today (pic heavy)

[Portia]

My girls are 4 weeks and it finally warmed up enough for them to go out for a few hours. For the first time I put them in my fenced garden area that I just tilled for planting, figured it'd be easier to catch them in a smaller space versus the entire fenced yard; plus this is the first time my dogs have seen them really outside of the brooder cage. All went well, and I think it wore the chicks and my little dog out 'cause they're all sleeping now!
In the garden...waiting for them to come out of the box!

They finally came out, thanks to their favorite treat...cucumber!

The dogs watching them. The chicks look so big in their brooder, but so small out in the great big world

They seemed to have fun, though

Thanks for letting me share!
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EEK! This posted twice, can someone please remove the duplicate...or tell me how to do that!

 

[arlee453]

They look like they are really having fun!

 

[meant2bemommie]

Looks like they really liked it outside!!! It will be so crazy when my 1 week olders will be ready to spend some time outside.

 

[Portia]

They had a blast. I learned a couple things. First, they are very cautious and never went more than 10 feet at most from the box I brought them out in...so the idea of 'catching them' was moot. Furthermore, when startled they all immediately ran back to the box. Thirdly, they loved stretching their wings, but being heavy breeds they can't fly worth a darn. I don't think they lifted more than a foot of the ground even in a large open space. Finally, my dogs need a lot more exposure before I can consider free ranging them. The greyhound could really care less, the other one is a little more suspect. She's never caught anything in her life, just likes to chase. Besides, she's really more interested in mammals and even when the wild turkeys are in our yard at dawn she just stands on the deck and watches them.

 

[HenHaven]

Wow! That is a perfect place to let them run! They really do crash hard after playing hard, don't they? It must feel so good to be able to stretch those wings and legs.

Portia, when you get a chance could you post pics of your Speckled Sussex chicks? I would like to see how their combs look and compare feathering patterns with mine. I know I have 2 roos so far....

 

[Portia]

I haven't noticed much of a difference between the SS chicks. They are by far the best foragers of the bunch, and quickly the most comfortable outside. Here they are, hope these pics help.
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And all 4 of them in the crowd

 

[HenHaven]

Thanks. Yours should be all girls--so thank goodness you don't see any red combs in your batch!

 

[Portia]

Nope, the only combs that are coloring are on my SLW, and they are all coloring a similar pale pink but not getting any larger; I'm hoping that's just the way it works with SLW. I also have a black australorp that is incredibly slow to develop feathers in relation to the other australorps, I'm assuming its a male. He also is very boisterous and pitches a fit whenever picked up. He is also the first to tearing like a maniac through the brooder when I give them any sort of treats.