Okay, so I'm a bad "mom" to my pullets (please let them all be pullets!): they'll be four weeks old next Tuesday, and on Friday, my husband and I are leaving for two weeks in CA. We at least have a pet sitter coming every day who already loves the chicks and cats, and she is eager to spoil them rotten, so maybe that absolves me a little bit.
The trouble is that I have the option of either keeping them in their little brooder (a thirteen-gallon Tupperware tub) or letting them enjoy their coop and run under the trees, and I'm leaning toward leaving them outside. What do you think? I'll give as many details as possible so you can spot any potential disasters:
They're currently in a thirteen-gallon Tupperware brooder in an office that has to remain closed to keep out the two cats. The lid to their brooder is a huge cooling rack I usualy use for Christmas cookies, but that's another story! Their wings are feathering out normally. Their run and coop are going to be under the trees on the north side of the yard, so they'll only receive dappled sunlight from noon to three, if that. I started taking them out to their run for a few minutes at a time starting at two weeks, increasing the time little by little. They enjoyed themselves today four about an hour in about 11:30 in 85-90 degree weather; the only time I saw them breathing hard was after flying practice or after chasing each other around. The pet sitter knows to put down frozen two-liter bottles and such in the run for them to hang out near if it gets too hot. It may dip into the 60's at night, but the low to mid 70's are more likely.
I like the idea of them being outside developing normally rather than hanging out in a cramped brooder all day, but I don't want to endanger them. I just have the feeling that they're getting so energetic that they may start some weird/destructive habits to keep busy if I leave them there. They aren't on medicated feed, but they've already been outside so if they're going to get coccidosis (sp?) I may already have exposed them in any case. What do you think?
Thanks for your help! I love BYC
The trouble is that I have the option of either keeping them in their little brooder (a thirteen-gallon Tupperware tub) or letting them enjoy their coop and run under the trees, and I'm leaning toward leaving them outside. What do you think? I'll give as many details as possible so you can spot any potential disasters:
They're currently in a thirteen-gallon Tupperware brooder in an office that has to remain closed to keep out the two cats. The lid to their brooder is a huge cooling rack I usualy use for Christmas cookies, but that's another story! Their wings are feathering out normally. Their run and coop are going to be under the trees on the north side of the yard, so they'll only receive dappled sunlight from noon to three, if that. I started taking them out to their run for a few minutes at a time starting at two weeks, increasing the time little by little. They enjoyed themselves today four about an hour in about 11:30 in 85-90 degree weather; the only time I saw them breathing hard was after flying practice or after chasing each other around. The pet sitter knows to put down frozen two-liter bottles and such in the run for them to hang out near if it gets too hot. It may dip into the 60's at night, but the low to mid 70's are more likely.
I like the idea of them being outside developing normally rather than hanging out in a cramped brooder all day, but I don't want to endanger them. I just have the feeling that they're getting so energetic that they may start some weird/destructive habits to keep busy if I leave them there. They aren't on medicated feed, but they've already been outside so if they're going to get coccidosis (sp?) I may already have exposed them in any case. What do you think?
Thanks for your help! I love BYC
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