Are you wondering when can chicks go outside? Raising chicks in a brooder cage is an exciting experience, but deciding when you can transfer them to the outside world can seem complicated. As with most projects we undertake, timing is essential! We have simplified the transition of chicks from a brooder cage to their permanent henhouse and enclosure. With a comfortable henhouse and well-respected good practices, you will find the right time and the right way to bring your chicks out safely.

WHEN CAN CHICKS GO OUTSIDE SAFELY?

If your chicks have been with you since they hatched, or if you got them shortly after, you probably remember how soft and fluffy (and cute) they were. However, these feathers which give the chick its downy appearance do not stay in place for long. You will soon notice that your once fluffy chicks are starting to look a little disheveled. This perfectly normal (although unsightly) phenomenon is simply the process of growing your pet’s adult feathers. Generally, these adult feathers should begin to appear between 7 and 14 days of age. Many factors determine how quickly these adult feathers will grow:

• Breed
• Food
• Temperature
• Care

Once you notice adult feathers growing on your chicks, begin to gradually lower the temperature in their brooder cage. Reduce the heat by 3 to 4°C each week until the brooder cage temperature is equal to room temperature. This gradual decrease in temperature will further facilitate their transition to the outside environment.

When your chicks reach 5 weeks of age, they have officially entered their “adolescence phase.” They may sport a convincing set of adult feathers, but like most adolescents, they’re not quite mature for the outside world! When chicks reach 6 to 8 weeks of age, it’s time to consider letting them out of the brooder cage and taking them on short, supervised excursions outside.

3 ESSENTIAL FACTORS TO CONSIDER BEFORE PUTTING YOUR CHICKS OUTSIDE

To help you determine if your chicks are ready to spend some time outdoors, you should ask yourself the following questions:

• Do my chicks have all their adult feathers?
• Is the outside temperature above 15.5°C?
• Do they have a perfectly enclosed space?

When your chicks are fully clothed in their adult feathers, they can withstand temperatures down to 15.5°C. Sunny days are always best for bringing your chicks outside and they must stay dry in order to be able to regulate their body temperature. A fully enclosed chicken run is essential for introducing them to the outside world, especially if you can’t stay with them for the duration of the excursion.

TEMPERATURE AND CLIMATE CONSIDERATIONS

Timing is everything when you need to move your chicks from the brooder cage to the coop, but if your chicks are at least 6 to 8 weeks old, they will be able to handle colder temperature drops. If you have a chicken tractor or a removable chicken coop, move your chicks according to the sun to help them transition from artificial heat to natural heat. And if your area experiences frequent weather swings during the colder months, you can add an extreme temperature thermal blanket to your chicks’ coop to ensure they stay warm during the night when they will be the most vulnerable.

If you let your chicks outside during the warmer months, a raised coop will provide them with additional shelter and shade. Like adult hens, chicks can suffer from heat stroke when temperatures are too high. So make sure they have plenty of fresh water and add a protective tarpaulin to their enclosure so that they have enough shaded areas at their disposal.

PROTECTING CHICKS FROM PREDATORS

When your chicks spend a lot of time outside, you don’t have the ability to constantly monitor them. It is therefore essential to install a secure henhouse for them with a large predator-resistant enclosure in order to protect them and accustom them to the outside world. Chicken predators are mainly active at night, but some will not pass up the opportunity to grab a few chicks during the day.

It is important to note that chicks are particularly vulnerable to snakes and raccoons which can slip under enclosures or pass their paws through wire mesh. For added security, wrap the bottom four feet of your enclosure with wire mesh to protect your chickens from these predators.

If your chicks are overstimulated, give them several places to “hide.” Opt for simple structures, such as upturned cardboard boxes with cut-out entrances or other homemade shelters. Even if your chicks aren’t big enough to use all of the chicken perches, the Omlet Standing Perch has easily height-adjustable perches that will allow your chicks to practice climbing.

MOTHER HEN

Some chicks are born and raised naturally by their mother. Chickens can “broody” at any time of year, but it is usually in the spring that they attempt to hatch their eggs . If your hen goes brooding in winter, it is best to discourage her by collecting her eggs every day, as chicks born in winter will have a more difficult time than those born in warmer months. If your area experiences mild winters, your chickens will be able to keep their chicks warm even in temperatures below zero degrees. However, you will need to ensure that the chicks are not left unsupervised for too long when their mother hen goes to eat or drink.

Nature takes its course when chicks are raised by a hen. The hen provides heat even after her chicks hatch, making her a “broody” hen. Good mother hens instinctively know how long their chicks can tolerate the absence of this heat and will help their young adapt to the ambient temperature.

If your hen has been hatching chicks in an elevated coop, consider moving the hen and her chicks to a walk-in coop to prevent the chicks from accidentally falling while following their mother. You can also remove the chicks from the hen once they are dry and place them in a chick brooder cage.

TAKE THE CHICKS OUT DURING THE DAY

If you have gradually reduced the temperature of your chicks’ brooder cage, they should be able to be comfortable outside with temperatures dropping to 15.5°C, when they are 6 years old. at 8 weeks. To make outdoor excursions with your chicks successful, choose warm, sunny days. Start with short outings in a chicken run and then let them jump and scratch.

Every chick is different, but expect there to be some hesitation or uncertainty, especially at first. The feel of grass under their paws is very different from that of straw, shavings or the floor of their breeding cage. The outdoors offers lots of sights, sounds and smells that are unfamiliar to chicks raised in brooder cages. So start with short outings to avoid overstimulating them. Try taking them out for 10 to 15 minutes once or twice a day to help them build confidence. Stay close by their side during these first excursions to see how they react to their new environment.

After several days of short outings, increase the time spent outdoors by 10 to 15 minutes every other day, taking the weather into account. Before long, your chicks will spend several hours of the day getting used to their future forever home. If you haven’t already, now is a great time to start letting your chicks out of their coop and run.

CHECKLIST FOR THE PERMANENT TRANSFER OF CHICKS OUTSIDE

Do your chicks have all their feathers, have managed to get used to the outdoors to integrate into their new home and are perfectly happy? It’s time to take the next step! Make sure the following items are in place before permanently moving your chicks outside:

• A secure , comfortable and easy-access henhouse for your chicks
• An adjoining enclosure reinforced with additional protection against predators
• Feeders and drinkers placed at heights suitable for your chicks
• Outdoor temperatures greater than or equal to 15.5°C, even at night
• Chicks at least 6 to 8 weeks old

If you are transferring your chicks to an Eglu chicken coop, the recommended age is 12 weeks. This gives them enough time to grow to a size suitable for the Omlet chicken coop design. The coop’s perches and ladders can be a challenge for chicks younger than 12 weeks, and the spacing of the steel wire in the chicken wire was designed for larger chicks.

CAN MY CHICKS LIVE OUTSIDE WITH OTHER CHICKENS?

If your chicks join other hens, follow the same steps as integrating new hens into an existing group. Quarantine periods do not apply to chicks that you have raised yourself in a brooder cage, as you would have noticed any signs of illness during this period. However, it is best to introduce chicks to their future breeding companions slowly to minimize the risk of injury. You can place a chicken run inside or next to your current chickens’ setup for a safe first contact.

As always, hens will need to establish a hierarchy within their group, regardless of how many times they have seen the chicks through a fence. Always monitor the first meeting when introducing new members to a group. Quickly remove chicks that hens seem to be attacking and consider housing them separately, as well as overly aggressive hens, until your chicks are older.

THINGS TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT BEFORE PERMANENTLY MOVING YOUR CHICKS OUTSIDE

Most chicken keepers agree that spring and early summer are the best times to bring chicks outside. However, some climates can experience bitter cold for more than half the year, which can make raising chicks in the spring a little more complicated. In this case, it is best to keep your chicks in their broader cage for as long as possible, ideally until they are 12 to 16 weeks old. If your chicks are too big to stay in their brooder cage for that long, be sure to take extra precautions against the cold. Prepare your chicks’ coop and run for winter as you normally would for adult chickens. In particular, you can install an Eglu hen house to keep your birds warm, and consider adding a weather proof tarpaulin to your henhouse to reinforce its insulation.

HOW DO I KNOW IF MY CHICKS ARE TOO COLD?

You should watch out for the same signs as for adult chickens. Check your chicks regularly and look for the following signs to determine if they are too cold:

• Lethargy
• Grouping against each other
• Standing with one paw off the ground
• Discoloration of crests, wattles or feet

If you notice any of these symptoms in your chicks during cold weather, bring them indoors quickly. Do not warm them up too quickly or they may go into shock. Use a heat lamp only if their indoor space is in a drafty area, such as a garage or large. A temperature above 18°C ​​will be enough to slowly warm overly chilled chicks. Keep them indoors until they are eating and drinking normally, and plan to let them outside again when outside temperatures are more stable.

WHEN SHOULD YOU AVOID LETTING YOUR CHICKS OUT?

Under certain conditions, chicks should not go outside, particularly in the following cases:

• If your chicks are under 6 weeks of age,
• If your chicks are under 12 weeks of age and temperatures drop below freezing,
• During heavy rain or extreme weather conditions,
• If your chicks can’t easily reach their coop.

Always check the weather forecast to get an idea of ​​temperatures and precipitation during the week you plan to move your chicks outdoors permanently. If heavy rain is expected, or any other significant weather event, postpone transferring your chicks until conditions improve. Wet chicks, like their adult counterparts, have difficulty regulating their body temperature.

While some chicks quickly become familiar with the henhouse ladder, others have more difficulty perfecting this technique. If you notice that some of your chicks are unable to use the ladder, create a ramp and place it on the rungs of the ladder. Once they get used to using their growing paws, you can remove the ramp.

Finally, don’t forget to consider the bird flu situation in your area. Chicks are at the same risk of catching it as adult chickens, but by adding a protective tarp over your chickens’ enclosure, you can greatly minimize this risk by protecting them from wild bird droppings.

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