When can I start bringing my chicks outside?

[Maple Hill Homestead]

So, against all the advice given on here, I went with the advice I was given locally that it is fine to put them out in the coop at 4 - 5 weeks in 80 degree weather and checking on them every hour or two is fine. No one here had ever heard of having to watch even day old chicks every second while inside of a coop. Anyways, they have all been more than fine. So I decided to let them stay out there full time. We had a light frost two days after our estimated last frost date last week and they all did perfectly fine inside the coop with all the windows closed. Based on my experience, I don't think I will brood chicks indoors again. So much easier to tend to them outdoors in a coop in my experience now.

Oh I forgot, we did have a nuisance dog that has bit two people and was suppose to be put down (but obviously wasn't) eyeing our chicks in the coop. Dh fired his shot gun to scare it off and we haven't seen it around since. That is the only potential problem we've had with them outside. Nothing else has bothered them predator wise and our dog seems to be protective of them now too. She loves going out with me to check on the chickens in the morning and the evening.

Just wanted to share in case others were worried about letting their chicks out in a protected area outside. I did drag an extension cord out to the coop for the heat lamp but I'm considering taking it down now. None of them gather under it anymore, not even at night.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Based on my experience, I don't think I will brood chicks indoors again. So much easier to tend to them outdoors in a coop in my experience now.

Generally you want to be more watchful of young chicks brooded indoors that are transitioning to outdoors but your temperatures are very good for moving chicks out.

Chicks brooded strictly outdoors harden up more quickly than ones brooded inside, so if you do end up brooding outdoors in the future I think you'll find it less of a hassle overall.

 

[Lisafitz]

Generally you want to be more watchful of young chicks brooded indoors that are transitioning to outdoors but your temperatures are very good for moving chicks out.

Chicks brooded strictly outdoors harden up more quickly than ones brooded inside, so if you do end up brooding outdoors in the future I think you'll find it less of a hassle overall.

This is very informative. I live in eastern NC and had a broody raise chicks last sept. She had them outside foraging (the flock free ranges) from day 2. I now have six chicks and 2 ducklings in an indoor brooding pen and wondered when they could go out to play for a while obviously supervised as they’re so little and would be in a secure area. I don’t like the idea of them staying cooped up for weeks indoors. I wouldn’t have a heat lamp but I was thinking a hot water bottle for warmth outdoors would be ok for short trips outside.

 

[rosemarythyme]

This is very informative. I live in eastern NC and had a broody raise chicks last sept. She had them outside foraging (the flock free ranges) from day 2. I now have six chicks and 2 ducklings in an indoor brooding pen and wondered when they could go out to play for a while obviously supervised as they’re so little and would be in a secure area. I don’t like the idea of them staying cooped up for weeks indoors. I wouldn’t have a heat lamp but I was thinking a hot water bottle for warmth outdoors would be ok for short trips outside.

Depending on your temperatures (and how long you plan on having them outside) I'd probably skip the water bottle. Just keep the trips shorter at first and see how they do and adjust from there. As you noted even 2 day old chicks with a broody would be outside already, without having to constantly stay underneath her.

 

[Lisafitz]

Yep took them out and they loved it! Thank you