when should you put your chicks outside

[TK Poultry]

ive brooded chicks once before but i have the hardest time deciding when to put them out....my chicks last time there was an age difference between them and i waited until they got most of there feathers my first batch of bantam cochins are 6 weeks my LF ameraucanas are 3 weeks and my second batch of bantam cochins are 3weeks and i have one 1 week old in with them!! so when is a good time to let them out i have a hutch i keep bantams in that is empty i want to put them in its just trying to find a good time to keep them out there is my struggle!!! ugh im soo torn i want some out of my garage so i have room to hatch some more!! but i dont want them to leave too early help!!

 

[Akane]

Entirely depends on temperatures. The rough rule is to start chicks at 95F and drop it 5F every week so a 1 week old should be at least at 90F. Now that's not always necessary. I've had chicks that were at 80F by 3weeks old but then I've had several batches of chicks that weren't happy at less than 100F for the first 5days. If there is wind or other weather conditions blowing on them they will likely need more heat.

Some people never keep chicks in the house. They just put a heat lamp on a pen outside to keep them warm enough. It depends on your local temperatures and what type of heat source you're willing to provide on when they can go out. Personally I think all chickens irregardless of age should be in a building at least at night. Odds of predators getting them goes up drastically when they are in a pen instead of locked in a building over night. If you don't want to risk losing a chicken it should be securely closed in a predator proof building after dark. If your hutch is in a coop or other structure then all you have to do is make sure you can keep them warm enough.

 

[Bear88]

i was going to leave mine with there mother out side ..... so they learn from her but it sounds like it is much better to just let her see them everyday ......??

 

[Judy]

If she did not set eggs and hatch them under her, she will not see herself as a mother nor will they see her as their mother. If she did hatch them, you could have left them with her from hatch on, and she would have kept them warm and taught them to eat and such. If she hatched them and then you removed them, she may not see them as hers any more. If she does see them as hers, I would let her raise them. How big is the run? Do they follow her around? Does she cluck to call them to her and offer them food?

 

[Sjisty]

My chicks go outside usually at about 4-5 weeks. They hatch, come out of the incubator and go into the washtub for a week or two, then into a cage in the middle of my living room floor. By then the next batch hatches in the incubator. They go into the washtub for a week or two, then they need the cage so the ones in the cage go outside into a bigger cage! The little ones that were already in that outside cage get moved to the bigger guy coop/run - the ones that were in that coop move to the coop of almost growns - the ones that were in the coop of almost growns move into the main coop. Phew - I'm exhausted!

Then, of course the new eggs in the 'bator hatch and it starts all over again!

BTW, I have a hot lamp (protected from the weather) on the outside cage for the little guys that I turn on at night if it gets too cool or rains.

 

[Bear88]

my silkie is sitting on two eggs, they will hatch in 5 days.

she 100% thinks they are her babies so i think she will want to be their mum when they hatch.

if i take them off her at night will she still love them all day and look after them???? in the day time i can lock my other chicken onto the grass so she does not hurt them.

also should they have a light in the day time with mum? it is winter here but it does not snow or anything

 

[Akane]

If you take the chicks away the odds are limited she will accept them again. Even if she does the first day she will not do it repeatedly. She may protect them and then there will be no need to take them away. It depends how good of mom she is. If she's a good mom you won't have to do anything. She'll keep them warm, protect them from the other chickens, and show them where food is. If she's not you'll just have to raise them yourself. It's an all or nothing situation. Either she keeps them all the time or you take them away and keep them under heat away from other chickens all the time.

 

[One Acre Wonder Farm]

Quote:
I would leave them with momma, she will do a fine job keeping them warm and teaching them how to be chickens. If for some reason she is not doing her job then I would take them. A good momma will keep other chickens from her chicksand keep the chicks plenty warm.

Greencastle - I don't pay as much attention to the thermometer as I do the chicks... if they are running around, being curious chicks they are fine outside during the day. If they are peeping loudly, and piling up for warmth then they are probably not ready to be outside. If you watch them closely their behavior will tell you if they're ready.

 

[cmom]

If the weather is warm enough I put mine out in their chick run after they reach a week old.

 

[Bear88]

thank you so much everyone!!!! my boy friend said they would be fine so i think i'm just wanting to be their mum is all.

i'll keep an eye on them and give them a light