When to place the poults outside and what to look for?

[Michael Mellen]

They are about 3 weeks old and have their feathers, and they are doing great! They are getting too big for the brooder that I have them in, and was wanting to put them into have pen outside. I constructed a large pen of small chicken wire, but yet to put the roof on. I live in Florida so the weather is fairly warm at night, lows in the 60s.

When should they be moved outside? What do I need to look for when I move them to their new home?

 

[Lagerdogger]

Many sources will say they need at least 6 weeks to develop their immune system. To be safe, you probably should try to wait at lest that long before they hit the ground.

On the other hand, if its warm, they will probably be OK. My poults get access to a screen porch starting around two weeks. By four weeks, they don't go back inside, even on cold nights (MN is a lot colder than Florida). So you probably won't stress them for temperature. I'm sure the people that have lost half or more of their 4-week old flocks would urge more caution.

 

[Big Dan]

I put my poults out at 3 weeks because they were running around and acting like they wanted to be in more room. They did great! I live in Colorado where the temp goes all over. They even made it through 2.5 feet of snow. We put a heat lamp up for that one. They are growing like a weed so oi would say it worked. I figure as soon as they start acting more independent and wanting to explore.

 

[Michael Mellen]

Thank you all so much for the reply. They have been trying to fly out every time I clean their area, occasionally one escapes. Glad that they aren't hard to catch, at least not yet! I thought about maybe putting them out next week.

Do I have to worry about them finding their food and water when I relocate them?

 

[kuntrygirl]

Thank you all so much for the reply.  They have been trying to fly out every time I clean their area, occasionally one escapes.  Glad that they aren't hard to catch, at least not yet!  I thought about maybe putting them out next week. 

Do I have to worry about them finding their food and water when I relocate them? 

Mine did the same thing when I moved them from their brooder in the garage to their sand coop outside. When I let mine out in the sand chicken yard, they were going back into their run to eat and drink. After a few weeks, they learned where everyone else ate and they were ok.

Yours should be ok.