When can I start letting them out?

[Kaitie09]

My Cornish cross guys just turned 2 weeks old yesterday. I notice they tend to stay away from the hottest part of the heat area now, and prefer to sit and look out their window. I opened their coop up to the full 10x4, and they all spread out there. Most of them are 70% feathered too, with some bald spots.

It is starting to get colder here, but they don't seem to mind it. A lot of them will run out the door when I refill their food and they just peck around for a few seconds. They have a 10x16' kennel and there is bird netting on the bottom so they can't squeeze through the holes.

 

[mstricer]

I'd let them out for a little while if the sun is out. I've had my freedom rangers outside since they were 1 1/2 weeks old. This is what they are in

It has plywood around backside, half along the sides and the top is covered. I have a 100 watt light I have on only at night (unless it is chilly and wet). I let them out to freerange in the evening when I get home from work, that way I know they are eating and not my greedy layers. They love getting out they eat a lot of bugs and grass, I feed them 12 on 12 off.

 

[12henfun]

mine are 3 days old ...the weather is getting chilly here...will they ever make it outside? how long under a heat lamp?

 

[Kaitie09]

Just want to say I'm starting to try to let them out. I leave their door open for about 20 minutes and all they do is peep like crazy and run around under the heat lamp. Some will hop out, and then realize that they are outside and hop back in.

 

[madamwlf]

I let mine out at 2 weeks old and stopped the heat lamp at 3 weeks old. They run around on the grass and lounge in the sun.

 

[erinszoo]

Ours are 25 days today and we let them out for the first time. Only one of them ventured around the pen and explored things. The others huddled in a group by the hay bail and screamed if anything came near them.

 

[Jschaaff]

Quote:
Hi Kaitie09

My cornish have time outside from 2 days old. The first 2 weeks I take them all out of the brooder each day, and let them run around in the grass for a bit.
The first few days they tend to stay in groups, peck at bugs and be sleeping in 15 minutes, but as they get a little older, we usually have them out, supervised, for a couple hours at least, each day and they are dust bathing, eating bugs and having a grand old time.
By three weeks, mine are outside free ranging all day long, and only locked in the tractor at night, so I'm sure your 2 week olds would love some outdoor time.

I wish I had an outdoor area, enclosed, like your big kennel, for them to run around in those first 2 weeks! Trying to catch 25 screaming chicks, 2 at a time, to take them out of the brooder, and running around outside trying to catch them again, to put them back in the brooder, everyday, well, it's a bit entertaining to watch I suppose...but NOT quite so fun to do it every day!

Jessa

 

[Jschaaff]

Quote:
Mine have access to heat lamp in the brooder (brooder is outside) until they are 2 weeks.

Even when they are outside those first 2 weeks (except for on the 80+) days, I always have a heat lamp clipped nearby incase they need it, and often 5 or 6 of them will huddle under it even tho the rest are spraweled out elsewhere.

At 2 weeks my cornish go outside in their tractor (they are only locked in the tractor at night, but it's always open during the day so they can come in and out) and again,they have access to a heat lamp, 24 hours, until they are 3 weeks.

At 3 weeks, lamps off all day, and on at night if it will be really cold.


You kind of have to do what you feel most comfortable with and watch your chickens, their actions will let you know what they need.

(I have 13 laying hens who probably dont even remotely need a heat lamp..but I still give them one all winter, because it makes ME feel better

)
Jessa

 

[Kaitie09]

I left the door open today from about 12 pm to 3 pm. A couple of them came out, but stayed close to the coop. I think the cats stalking them might have scared them a bit, but they will have to get used to it.

Our cats love the chicks and chickens, and will lay be the run for hours just watching them. Ozzy, our big boy, like to lay with the chicks under the heat lamp.