Yet anouther question! When can my little ones enjoy the outdoors?

[JodiLynn]

I have 13 chicks that are a week old today. It is consistantly in the high 90s here with high humidity. I have had more issues keeping the kids cool than warm. My question is when is a good time to allow them out for a little playtime in the yard? (of course in a confined space supervised) I research the threads but a lot of the posts were from winter months. We have a mini chicken tractor that will work great as a playground. Also how long should there adventures be limited to? Thanks!

 

[ZaksGarden]

In that heat you should be ok to go ahead and let them play outdoors now. As long as you stay with them constantly. I took mine out for brief intervals that early, But not for long periods until 2 or 3 weeks.

 

[capebird]

I had two chicks hatch last friday from fertilized eggs I placed under a broody hen. Just today I placed them both and the "mom" outside in the grass. The mom dug up little bugs and showed them how to eat them. She would find one make some special noise and the chicks would come running over and she would show the bug to them. Pretty interesting to watch. They stuck to her pretty closely. I didn't leave them out from their space in the coop very long... but they seemed to enjoy it.

 

[JodiLynn]

Great to hear, thanks! Tomorrow I will take them out! (and I plan on staying out there with them the whole time) So exciting...

 

[Melabella]

I tood my two week old girls out today for the first time while I cleaned the brooder pen completely. I have an excersice pen I bought for my daughters rabbits that I have been using, since my girls have been so very active and are flying up almost to the top of the brooder 8 panel coop I have been keeping them in. I put half in the shade, half in the sun, and they were a bit scared at first but seemed to really enjoy themselves once they got used to all the openess all around! Funny thing, at first they seemed to hover around Jack, our dog they have gotten quite used to seeing. He is an English Shepherd, and his instincts all ready seem to be spot on as he takes great care in watching their every move. Where ever Jack moved around the pen, they moved in a bunch next to him, it was funny to see. Had them out about a half hour, then back inside to their shed that is my feed room where I keep the horses hay and grain. Two large windows for ventilation, and a garage door that can be open when I am in the barn. Here is a few pics!

 

[JodiLynn]

I love the pictures, they are soo cute! Our guineas do that to our border collie/lab mix. Fly to her whenever they feel threatened and the chickens just walk over her while she lays in the aisleway of the barn. I bet your shepard is smart? My dog "dot" is mixed and she is the smartest dog I have ever had. I will always have some kind of collie or shepard around the farm. (plus they help round up yearling horses that have escaped..hehe)

 

[Melabella]

So you have horses too? Neat! Are they for pleasure, business, both? We have four on the property, 2 dogs, 3 rabbits, and now the 10 chicks. I have never had chickens before, always wanted them,, and am so excited to learn. I also am counting the weeks till fresh eggs... I figure by Thanksgiving. Yes, I find Jack to be incredibly intelligent, and so intune to my every movement. This is the reason I picked his breed, they are the perfect guardian, watchman of our small little farmstead. A lot of people confuse him for a border collie, but the two breeds are distinctly different. ES herd up right, loose eyed, not predetorially like the BC's do. They also have a turn off switch, lol. I imagine the lab mix on your dog toned down the motor on Dot as well. He is just over a year, slow to mature, and just now starting to see some of his guardian qualities come out. Coyotes made a kill right outside the barn on my neighbors property a few nights ago when I was outside doing night check. He quickly broke that up, and ran them off. First time I saw him act on that. I couldn't be more in love with that dog! Very loyal. So sweet.

Well, got to go put some laundry in the dryer... So nice to connect with you on BYC!

Ciao!
MB

 

[JodiLynn]

Yes I do! I have 2- nurse mare foals from kentucky (though they are out getting plumped up on my mother-in-laws 50 acres) I also have a quarter/draft rescue cross and then my lovley appaloosa that I showed in 4-h when I was younger. What breeds are yours? I know what you mean about being excited about eggs! We have slowly got out "feral chicken" to start roosting with the others and she is of egg laying age but usually hides them in the woods. I got a egg this morning! The DH questioned my "jumping up and down" it is so exciting to get that 1st egg. I will have to look into the ES when were ready for anouther guardian. The lab helped a lot in Dot but when she was younger she was a handful. Now at 10 she is the perfect gal! We have been researching a dog that maybe she could train for a couple years so after she crosses "that rainbow bridge" we have anouther guardian. Also very nice to connect with anouther chicken newbie and horse lover at that !!!

 

[clogan98]

I let mine out in a cardboard box with no bottom, supervised, for short times for their first week. They are now about three weeks old and I have them in an outside pen for part of the day. It's been getting so hot this week that I've been bringing them in early. They love to be outside.

 

[Melabella]

Yes I do! I have 2- nurse mare foals from kentucky (though they are out getting plumped up on my mother-in-laws 50 acres) I also have a quarter/draft rescue cross and then my lovley appaloosa that I showed in 4-h when I was younger. What breeds are yours? I know what you mean about being excited about eggs! We have slowly got out "feral chicken" to start roosting with the others and she is of egg laying age but usually hides them in the woods. I got a egg this morning! The DH questioned my "jumping up and down" it is so exciting to get that 1st egg. I will have to look into the ES when were ready for anouther guardian. The lab helped a lot in Dot but when she was younger she was a handful. Now at 10 she is the perfect gal! We have been researching a dog that maybe she could train for a couple years so after she crosses "that rainbow bridge" we have anouther guardian. Also very nice to connect with anouther chicken newbie and horse lover at that !!!

Congrats on that new egg, alas I must wait a while, I figure about THanksgiving I should have my own eggs to cook with! I always make french toast on Thanksgiving morning,, silly tradition I started with the kids when they were small while they wait for Tom Turkey. I hope I am using our girls eggs by then!

We make our living with Thoroughbred Race horses, I am interested in hearing more about your nurse mare foals. Poor victims of the need eh? I am happy they have found you.We have an off the track TB, my daughter has her welsh pony/ TB cross, she is 21 and has taught my daughter well! We took in a Halflinger that needed a home, and then when my husband was forced to retire after a serious spinal cord injury (broke his neck for the second time!, YIKES), the doctors forced his retirement from raceriding and said the only riding he can do is pleasure at the WALK, so I bought him a Tennessee Walking horse! He is a wonderful paint, Spotted Saddle horse. that is our United Nations of horseflesh at the moment.

I can't emphasise enough about the ES. WOnderful family guardians, protector of whatever you hold near and dear to you, and just astoundingly intelligent. He is my shadow, but not in an obnoxious way at all. Ran off a coyote the other night who got very close, and he just wouldn't have it. Once it was off property, he stood ground for 10 miinutes,, the only time he barks, to let me know something is off. Check out this website,, wonderful. THere are many wonderful breeders your way,,think about it... amazing dogs.

www.englishshepherd.org

www.farmcollie.com

Have a great THursday!
MB