When can chicks go outside

[chickenchick2011]

I am just checking to see what age chicks can be put outside and they will keep them selves warm. I am going to be getting Cornish-Cross and maybe white leghorns but not sure. Please let me know around what age or what I need to look for to see if they are able to be outside thanks

 

[Up-the-Creek]

Usually when they are fully feathered out.

 

[chickenchick2011]

So when all the fluff is gone. Then they should be good to go. How do you tell sex or do you just have to wait until the males start crowing to know for sure of the sex.

 

[LilyD]

I can tell you with Cornish Cross we are putting them out at 4 weeks up north in Vermont. By then they usually have all their feathers and boy are they ready for a larger area to stretch their wings and legs. I think for the eggers that it is around 6 weeks that they are ready but if you have other chickens and no separate pen to put the babies in you may have to wait longer so that they are larger and the older birds don't pick on them.

 

[hlf1996]

our chicks are always outside in the coop, just in a seperate area with a heat lamp. Then at about 3 1/2 weeks old or until they have mostly all their feathers we put them in the whole coop (still away from the older hens) with a heat lamp hanging in a corner so they can go under it if they are cold or stay away if they are hot. Then, when they are about 6 1/2 weeks old we turn the light off. Our chicks right now are 3 OEGB bantams, 1 silkie, 1 mille fleur D'Uccle bantam, 9 black sexlink, and 6 golden sexlink. And they are very healthy and very talkative/lively.

 

[ryanhodapp]

I just put my 4 week olds out yesterday. But they have mom to keep them warm. It is fun to watch mom with her baby chicks. one is a full size cochin and mom is a banty cochin. The chick is half the size of mom now and she is still trying to fit under that wing.

 

[theoldchick]

I put mine out at about 5 weeks. The weather cooled considerably this past few days (in the 40's at night) but they did well.

 

[chickenchick2011]

Thanks for all the useful info guys. I will be getting me some chicks in the next week or two. Mostly for meat but few I will keep so they can lay and hatch me out some more for the next year. So much easier that way. Do chickens lay in the winter months?