Took girls outside for a few....have I lost my mind?

[Cetawin]

I was doing some gardening and it was gorgeous outside in the sun so I brought 3 of my 6 girls out...my three 'flyers'. These 3 are the ones that are flying to the top of the brooder whenever I open it.

So, Maggie (New Hamp. Red), Molly (BA) and Speckles (SLW) go outside for the first time at 16 days. This is what happened....

Maggie and Molly were curious and excited about the grass, the hummingbird buzzing around and the rocks....Speckles on the other hand, my little parrot, ran straight for my daughter and perched on her where it was safe. She waited until Maggie and molly had checked everything out before she got down to look around. It was a fight to get them to go back inside once they looked around for about 5 mins. But when I got about 5 feet away, they came running. I guess mama got too far and they were having none of that.

Tomorrow, if the weather is nice again and warm, I will take the other three girls out for a few minutes.

Maggie and Molly:

Speckles not sure about the whole thing:

Yes, I love my chickens...so much so, that I accepted a dinner invitation to friends' for Saturday evening only on the condition that I could bring the girls and their heat lamp. I did not want to be gone for 5 or 6 hours the way they throw shavings into their water and such. I have to clean their waterer every couple of hours...so, the girls and brooder are going to dinner Saturday evening.

Have I lost my mind? Would they be okay at home alone?

 

[MissPrissy]

I put my 12 out on day last week when ot was 70 here. They flopped in the sun in the grass like tired dish rags. Very funny to watch. Those are some very cute chicks you have!

 

[Cheryl]

They will be fine for that amount of time. I am a school teacher, so I was gone from 6 am (I start early) and home at 2:30 pm. Though I would imagine it would be great dinner conversation.

 

[Rte.66_chicks]

Cute photos! I am a teacher also, so am gone most of the day. Mine are fine in their brooder in the garage, they get visited often when we are home.

I'm definitely taking mine out for some sun this weekend. Can't wait to see how they take it, though it will have to be in a small, portable, bottomless pen, because I have cats.

 

[kaylakala]

I LOVE watching mine out in the yard!!!

 

[JaneandLizzy]

I set up a water shield once; cardboard or a box wall keeping most of the flying chips out. Another thing you could try is laying something (like one of those things you put under rugs to keep them from slipping) over the chips while you are gone. You can wash them, afterward. I haven't tried this, but someone else here has. Just make sure they can't eat it first.

We had to leave parties and dinners before dusk to get home in time to lock the chickens in the coop, until we bought a dog pen to leave the coop and chickens in when we leave. Life is much easier, now.

Have fun at the dinner with your chicks, if you want!


I used the rug thingy to cover the brooder box, to keep them from flying out.

 

[seafood]

I wish our chicks came up to us like it sounds like your do.

It like my daughter and I are hawks or something...

 

[chickflick]

Try raising the waterer up with wood blocks or some thing else strudy. They will be fine alone for that amount of time....

 

[Acre of Blessings]

When is a good time to take them for their first outing?

 

[Cetawin]

Quote:
Oh the girls were scared of us at first too. I just talked to them every time I passed them, picked them up, petted and talked to them constantly throughout the day for the first week...they still get scattery if hubby reaches in or my daughter...but I am mama, the one who cleans, feeds, waters and lets them on her shoulder. LOL I am a GOD!