Too big for the booder but not ready for the coop

[DelcoChix]

SOunds like a great plan! Good luck!

 

[audioguy]

Having the same issues with my new group of chicks.

Got the chicks April 3rd, so they are almost 8 weeks old and growing out of the brooder!

I have a fully built coop with the two remaining 2 year old girls. (the other 2 died

)

Anyway, I want to move them into the coop with the other girls and wonder if its too early. Also, should I just let them loose inside the coop with the others? Will there be a "pecking order" issue?

Thanks

 

[jaimemae]

What I read and did last spring and it worked well was to put the "babies" to bed in the coop and not let the big girls in there until after dark. In the morning when they wake up they are just there and it all seemed to work well. I did not do this tho until they were like 12-14 weeks old. I had a lot of big girls tho. You only have two so it might be fine. I would just watch them and make sure that the little ones are not getting bullied too bad.

 

[audioguy]

That is my only worry is having them bullied. The new babies are a pair of cuckoo marans (they act cuckoo) and two buffs (mild mannered).
I can wait a few weeks to bring them out.
I will try your idea. Sounds like an easy way to intro them.

 

[Sharon Bee]

My 3 week old chicks are in their brooder which is a kiddie pool rigged with chicken wire around it. Heat lamp is still on but they are getting antsy to get out. They know there is a big world out there already. They are jumping about a foot high.
They are also in the attached garage. Temps here are about 74 f now in S. Ontario. Could I put them outside for supervised time in a little run? I am having the same questions. They are getting bored I think in their brooder.
Attached pic.

 

[DelcoChix]

My 3 week old chicks are in their brooder which is a kiddie pool rigged with chicken wire around it. Heat lamp is still on but they are getting antsy to get out. They know there is a big world out there already. They are jumping about a foot high.
They are also in the attached garage. Temps here are about 74 f now in S. Ontario. Could I put them outside for supervised time in a little run? I am having the same questions. They are getting bored I think in their brooder.
Attached pic.

Absolutely! They would appreciate getting out and exploring outside of their little world. As long as you will be keeping an eye on them and they are in a protected area (no random chance of dog, cats, or hawks being able to access them) I'd definitely go for it! The biggest challenge you will find after is explaining to them that going back into the brooder is for their own good! They won't believe you.

 

[khoe]

I'm in the Bay Area, and was putting my chicks out al day and bringing them in at night until I went out one day and they were sitting in their coop. I figured at this point they were ready. They were just shy of 8 weeks. I babied mine too much though, IMO. I'm sure they'll be fine whatever you decide. Please don't use an extension cord with the heat lamp though!! There is many stories of fires with that set up.

 

[Sharon Bee]

Lol. Delcochix. They might be spoiled once I let them out. They are nestled down sleeping at the moment. I have a metal dog run that I can put up but how do I get them into it? Do I pick them up one at a time?

 

[Sharon Bee]

I will post a pic of my coop too. My husband built it in our carriage house. I don't plan on using a heat lamp in the coop so I will wait til they are bigger and it's warmer at night.

 

[merryreader]

When one of my hens broods, she takes the chicks to roost in the hen house when they are about 3 weeks old. They can't all fit under her by then anyways. Nights are usually 50 degrees and I've never lost one to the cold. I've had chicks hatch out under a hen in Sept, in Maine, and they are really tough. Septembers can be frosty.
Now I have 10, 4 week old chicks and they have been out in a little coop for 1 week with a heat lamp. I adjusted the window for temperature and eventually replaced heat bulb with a 75 watt bulb. Now the temp is 45-60 at night, 60-80 during the day, all I have is a 40 watt bulb, (for light mostly), window is open and they have a pen to go out in free will.
I have their pen inside the big chicks pen to get them used to each other. I had to put chicken wire around the woven wire because one of the hens was sticking her head through to try to grab the babies. I also covered my little pen with 14x14 plastic bird mesh and I am glad I did. Those little birds can jump and fly high!