When can they go outside?

[WashingtonCowgirl]

So about 3 or 4 weeks ago we got 6 little straight-run bantams for TSC. We are in Washington and it still rains a lot (imagine that lol) but I want to put them outside. It is about 50-60 during the day and not to cold at night, probably around 40. They were in a big rubbermaid tub out in the coop and light, but about a week ago they were "upgraded" to the small pen (a 3 sided pen about 2 feet high made of wood frame and chicken wire, used to introduce the little chicks to the adults when we had tons of chickens) with shavings and the light and they are doing GREAT! Can I put them outside at least during the day?

 

[MareeZoCool]

Do they have any feathers? Your weather sounds cool & damp. I'd wait for some feathers, or only take them out on extra warm sunny days.

 

[WashingtonCowgirl]

Yea they have 90% of their feathers (except the cochin she has about 85%). Im not sure how old they are though. I have taken them out a couple times. They are a little used to the outside weather as they were an impulse buy and so we haven't done the 90 degrees then lower by 5 a week... its been about 70-80 degrees the whole time.

 

[saritastar]

I live in Spokane and I've been putting my chicks out daily for the last week. I leave them out depending on how warm/cold it is. The first few days were really warm and they were out all day. Today is the coldest (about 55 and windy). They stayed out for about 3 hours before the hid in the carrier I move them back and forth in. Then they all huddled up and I brought them in. They are a month old.

Hope it helps to get an idea of what other washington people are doing.

 

[andalusn]

I am in SW WA (8 mi north of Portland, Oregon) and my 3 peeps are 7 weeks old this weekend. I have two buckeye and a buff orphington. I moved them from the rubbermaid brooder that was in the barn into their nursery pen two weeks ago. During that time I did have the light going at night and turned it off when I fed in the morning. Today I opened the pen and they wandered about the barn for about 2 hours and my other hens / rooster ignored them. I won't let them run during the week when I am at work but on the weekends they can come out and get worked into the main group. I hope to have them in the hen house within the next two or three weeks. Mine are fullly feathered.