Short Outside Exploring?

[mlanyi4]

My chicks are 2-3 weeks old. Temps are about 60-70 degrees during the day.
Could they do little outside trips for a few hours? Is that warm enough?
Thanks!!

 

[Kiki]

They can be outside full time!

 

[mlanyi4]

They can be outside full time!

At night though it’s usually in the 40s. Should I bring them in for the nights?

 

[SandyRiverChick]

Yep! it's perfect daytime temps. I'd move them permanently outside too but provide a heat plate, ceramic lamp or MHP for overnight for just a few more weeks. But that's just my process.... If you can't provide a heat source then I guess they need to be in overnight for just a little longer.

 

[rosemarythyme]

They can definitely spend some time outdoors during the day. For your peace of mind and to ease the transition, I'd do gradually lengthening periods out. Make sure they have some place they can shelter in for shade or protection from wind.

 

[BDutch]

These are nice temps to take the chicks out. If you have no heat plate or heat lamp outside, I would take them inside as soon as the chicks start to peep loudly.

 

[Cinnajava]

I have 4 week old chicks that need to get out of a crowded brooder with younger chicks. I have been taking them out for exploratory trips to the pear tree to let them practice roosting on the lowest thick limb They are not fully feathered- wings and some saddle feathers on the oldest 2 and all but 1 or 2 of the youngest have feathers on their wings. I currently have 11 chickens, but 2 are going to my friend tomorrow. Weather has been 50's to 60's at night (lots of showers last month and quite a few rainy days this month.) and up to high 70's in daytime. I am not home weekdays... If I get their coop up and going can all of them stay with the brooder heater at night/ full time?- including the 2 week old chicks? I love hearing them peep, but the smell is getting to my family and I change their bedding every 2-3 days. and the oldest are looking at getting out of their brooder.. I fully expect to find at least 1 outside in my son's room when I get home today.

 

[Ridgerunner]

If I get their coop up and going can all of them stay with the brooder heater at night/ full time?- including the 2 week old chicks?

I put my chicks in a brooder in the coop straight out of the incubator, just a day or two old. As long as they have a place to go to that is warm enough in the coolest conditions and also have a place to go to that is cool enough in the warmest conditions they are really good at regulating their own heat.

A big challenge of brooding outside is the temperature swings. I've seen the temperature go from below freezing to in the 70's F (20's C) in 36 hours or less. I use a heat lamp but other things work well also. One area stays toasty and can even got too hot but the brooder is big enough and well enough ventilated that the far corner is cool enough. On the mornings there is ice in the far corner the area where the chicks are stays warm enough. My chicks move as they need to.

 

[Cinnajava]

I put my chicks in a brooder in the coop straight out of the incubator, just a day or two old. As long as they have a place to go to that is warm enough in the coolest conditions and also have a place to go to that is cool enough in the warmest conditions they are really good at regulating their own heat.

A big challenge of brooding outside is the temperature swings. I've seen the temperature go from below freezing to in the 70's F (20's C) in 36 hours or less. I use a heat lamp but other things work well also. One area stays toasty and can even got too hot but the brooder is big enough and well enough ventilated that the far corner is cool enough. On the mornings there is ice in the far corner the area where the chicks are stays warm enough. My chicks move as they need to.

I live in the Kansas City area- We haven't had snow for more than 1 month- we've been up to 85! I think the lowest we've had in weeks was like 48 and that was a storm/cold front. I have them in a clear plastic tote it's the biggest you can get from Lowe's... but the older ones were jumping/landing on the littles.

 

[BDutch]

I live in the Kansas City area- We haven't had snow for more than 1 month- we've been up to 85! I think the lowest we've had in weeks was like 48 and that was a storm/cold front. I have them in a clear plastic tote it's the biggest you can get from Lowe's... but the older ones were jumping/landing on the littles.

Just thinking out loud (no experience) but maybe its a good idea to take the 4 weeks old outside and keep the two weeks old inside on cold days for a another week or 2.