Baby chicks grow up very quickly. In a chicks first several weeks of life, much of their energy is spent on growing in their new “big girl” or “big boy” feathers. Before you know it they will begin to kick up a lot of dust and start to smell. But when can baby chicks go outside?
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When chicks get a little more active, it’s time to transition them out of the cramped brooder box and into a larger enclosure, but are they ready to go outside?
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When Can Chicks Go Outside?
You may be wondering, “When can baby chicks go outside?” The short answer is when they are fully feathered, around 6 weeks. Depending upon the outside weather and the type of enclosure you provide for them will determine how much sooner you can transition baby chicks outdoors.
Table Of Contents
- When Can Chicks Go Outside?
- 1. When Can I Move My Chicks Out of the Brooder?
- 2. How Cold is Too Cold for Baby Chicks?
- 3. When Can Baby Chicks Go Outside Without a Heat Lamp?
- 4. When Can Chicks Go Outside With Their Mother?
- 5. When Can Chicks Go Outside With Other Chickens?
- 6. When Can Baby Chicks Go Outside?
- 7. Benefits of Bringing Baby Chicks Outdoors for Short Periods
- CONCLUSION: When Can Baby Chicks Go Outside? 14 Important Tips
- BONUS #8-14: More Frequently Asked Questions
1. When Can I Move My Chicks Out of the Brooder?
Baby chicks grow very quickly. A chicks first 4 weeks of life, they each need at least 1/2 square foot of space. From the fourth week through week eight this doubles to 1 square foot each.
As chicks grow, they get more active and will be testing out their new wings. They need more space to move around.
Brooder Size Requirements for Baby Chicks
| # CHICKS | MINIMUM SPACE WEEKS 1-4 | MINIMUM SPACE WEEKS 4-8 |
|---|---|---|
| 4 CHICKS | 1′ X 2′ | 2′ X 2′ |
| 6 CHICKS | 1′ X 3′ | 2′ X 3′ |
| 8 CHICKS | 1′ X 4′ | 2′ X 4′ |
| 10 CHICKS | 1′ X 5′ | 2′ X 5′ |
| 12 CHICKS | 2′ X 3′ | 3′ X 4′ |
| 16 CHICKS | 2′ X 4′ | 4′ X 4′ |
Once chicks reach about 4 weeks old, they are really active. They like to practice flapping their wings and flying across the enclosure. This is a good time to increase the space by at least twice the size.
For example, if you have 6 chicks that were originally in a 1′ x 3′ brooder, you will want to move 6 baby chicks that were originally in a 1′ x 3′ brooder into a brooder twice the size or 2′ x 3′.
2. How Cold is Too Cold for Baby Chicks?
When raising baby chicks without a mama hen, it is important that you keep the brooder at the appropriate temperature until the chicks are fully feathered. Most chicks are fully feathered by 6 weeks of age.
The required brooder temperature for chicks changes week by week. For healthy and thriving baby chicks it is very important to provide the appropriate temperature.
Weekly Temperature Chart for Baby Chicks
| AGE | HEAT |
|---|---|
| WEEK 1 | 95℉ |
| WEEK 2 | 90℉ |
| WEEK 3 | 85℉ |
| WEEK 4 | 80℉ |
| WEEK 5 | 75℉ |
| WEEK 6 | 70℉ |
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3. When Can Baby Chicks Go Outside Without a Heat Lamp?
When afternoon temperatures reach the appropriate temperature for the age of your baby chicks, you can bring them outdoors for a a little supervised sunshine time.
So, if the outdoor temperature is 85℉, you can bring 3 week old chicks outside without a heat lamp, but it would be too cold to bring 1 week old baby chicks outdoors without additional heating.
When Can Baby Chicks Go Outside?
If you want to bring your young chicks outdoors for a little “field trip,” but the outdoor temperature is still too cold, provide a heat lamp. This way, they can still get a little sunshine and keep sufficiently warm at the same time.
Benefits of Bringing Baby Chicks Outdoors for Short Periods
- It allows chicks to gradually get used to the outdoors.
- When they are fully feathered and sleeping in their big girl or boy coop it isn’t as traumatic or stressful for them.
- Exposing your chicks to sunshine provides them with beneficial Vitamin D.
- It allows them to eat little bugs, greens and rocks.
- Allows you to bond with your chicks as you supervise them outdoors.
How to Tell if Your Baby Chicks are Cold
| HOW TO TELL IF YOUR BABY CHICKS ARE COLD |
|---|
| CHICKS CHIRP LOUDLY |
| CHICKS HOVER TOGETHER UNDER THE HEAT LAMP |
| DIARRHEA |
| “PASTY BUTT“ |
| CHICKS PUFFED UP |
| CHICKS LEGS COLD |
4. When Can Chicks Go Outside With Their Mother?
Chicks can go outside with their mother from the day they hatch.
A mother hen instinctively knows how to keep her baby chicks warm. After they hatch, she keeps them under her breast or belly until they are completely dried off.
A mama hens internal body temperature is about 106℉ and her skin is about 99.5℉. This is perfect for newly hatched chicks.
Baby chicks will stay close to their mama hen when she decides to venture out. Mama hen will begin teaching her chicks how to find food right away.
If a chick begins to stray off, mama hen will use her beak to pull her chick close to her and tuck them underneath her to keep them warm.
5. When Can Chicks Go Outside With Other Chickens?
If mama hen hatched a clutch of chicks, she will protect them from the rest of the flock and they will naturally integrate into the existing flock. If YOU are introducing two flocks, it is important to wait until they are of equal size before merging them together.
If you are planning on merging two flocks together, it is important to quarantine the new chickens away from the others for 30 days. This will minimize the spreading of any unknown diseases that the new chickens may be carrying.
After 30 days, you can bring the two flocks closer together, separated by chicken wire. This way they can get used to seeing and hearing each other.
How to Safely Combine Two Flocks of Chickens-7 Simple Tips
When the younger chickens get to be of equal size to your already existing flock, you can try combining the two together.
Some people like to place the new chickens on the roost at night. Others like to combine the two flocks when they are out free ranging.
Either way is fine. I just suggest that you are able to monitor them in the morning when they wake up and leave the coop.
If you combine them while they are out free ranging, throw out some treats to keep them occupied. It is natural for there to be some pecking and chasing going on. They need to work out their “pecking order.”
As long as they aren’t drawing any blood, let them work things out.
If you notice that you have a bully chicken, place it “chicken jail” for a few days. This will help to knock it down a few notches.
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Tips for Combining 2 Flocks of Chickens
Moving your chicks from the brooder to the chicken coop is a big step, but must be done appropriately for their safety.TIPS FOR COMBINING
2 FLOCKS OF
CHICKENSQUARANTINE NEW CHICKENS
FOR 30 DAYSSEPARATE 2 FLOCKS WITH
CHICKEN WIREBOTH FLOCKS SHOULD
BE OF EQUAL SIZECOMBINE 2 FLOCKS
AT NIGHTINTRODUCE WHILE OUT
FREE RANGINGMONITOR THEM CLOSELY BE PREPARED TO SEPARATE
AGGRESSIVE CHICKENS BY
PLACING THEM IN
“CHICKEN JAIL“
How to Safely Combine Two Flocks of Chickens-7 Simple Tips
6. When Can Baby Chicks Go Outside?
If you want to bring your young chicks outdoors for a little “field trip,” but the outdoor temperature is still too cold, provide a heat lamp. This way, they can still get a little sunshine and keep sufficiently warm at the same time.
6 Week Guide – How to Raise Healthy Baby Chicks
7. Benefits of Bringing Baby Chicks Outdoors for Short Periods
- It allows chicks to gradually get used to the outdoors.
- When they are fully feathered and sleeping in their big girl or boy coop it isn’t as traumatic or stressful for them.
- Exposing your chicks to sunshine provides them with beneficial Vitamin D.
- It allows them to eat little bugs, greens and rocks.
- It strengthens their immune system.
- It makes them stronger.
- It keeps them entertained.
- Allows you to bond with your chicks as you supervise them outdoors.
CONCLUSION: When Can Baby Chicks Go Outside? 14 Important Tips
- As chicks get older, they also get bigger. They can be moved out of their smaller brooder and into a larger brooder about 4 weeks of age.
- In order for baby chicks to thrive, their body temperature needs help being regulated. You can do this by providing artificial heat for them with a heat lamp. The required temperature the first week of age is 95℉ and it decreases by 5℉ each week.
- When a chick is fully feathered, around 6 weeks, it can go outdoors without a heat lamp.
- Baby chicks can go outdoors from the first day that they hatch if they are with their mama hen.
- If YOU are the one combining two flocks, it is best to wait until they are of equal size. Make sure you are there to supervise because they will peck and chase each other to establish their pecking order. This is completely normal. You only need to intervene if there is blood shed.
- You can bring baby chicks outdoors for “field trips.” If it’s too cold, provide a heat lamp for them. Always supervise.
- There are so many benefits to bringing your baby chicks outdoors for a little supervised outdoor time, including bonding with you!
- If you bring your baby chicks outdoors, make sure you provide an external heat source for them to retreat to. 100% supervision is needed for free ranging chicks.
BONUS #8-14: More Frequently Asked Questions
#8 Can 2 Week Old Chicks Go Outside?
2 week old chicks are just beginning to get their juvenile tail and wing feathers. They can go outdoors if certain conditions are met. They need a heat source of 90℉ to retreat to and 100% supervision is needed at this young age. If they chirp loudly and are shivering, they should be brought back indoors.
#9 Can 3 Week Old Chicks Go Outside?
By 3 weeks of age, young chicks have more wing and tail feathers. They also have some feathers forming on their back. Short outings outdoors is fine as long as they have access to a heat source that provides 85℉. 100% supervision is needed.
#10 Can 4 Week Old Chicks Go Outside?
By 4 weeks of age, a chick is almost fully feathered. It still lacks its head and neck feathers though. By this age, it can go outdoors for outings, but always needs a heat source of 80℉ to retreat to. This is a good time to transition your chicks to a transitional coop out in a garage or shed.
#11 Can 8 Week Old Chicks Go Outside?
By 8 weeks of age, most chicks are fully feathered and can sleep outside in a “big girl and boy” coop. If you allow them to free range during the day, they still need 100% supervision. They are especially vulnerable to being picked up by a hawk or attacked by other chicken predators.
#12 When Can Baby Chicks Go Outside in Summer?
Depending upon what nighttime temperatures are, chicks can go outdoors without an external heat source if temperatures are the following: 1 week-95℉; 2 weeks- 90℉; 3 weeks-85℉; 4 weeks-80℉; 5 weeks-75℉. By 6 weeks of age a chick is fully feathered and can be outdoors without an external heat source. Make sure that it has a shelter to protect against direct sun.
#13 When Can Baby Chicks Go Outside in Winter?
During extreme cold weather, it is best to wait until chicks are 6 weeks or fully feathered before bringing them outside. By 4 weeks of age, if the temperature is above 50℉ and you provide an external heat source of 80℉ for them to retreat to, they should do fine. At 5 weeks of age the external heat source should be 75℉.
#14 When Can Chicks Go Outside in a Coop?
In areas where winters are mild, 3-4 week chicks do fine transitioning to an outdoor shed, garage or closed chicken coop. An external heat source is still needed until the chicks are fully feathered around 6 weeks of age. 3 weeks-85℉ heat source; 4 weeks-80℉ heat source; 5 weeks-75℉ heat source.
About the Author
Jenny is a chicken enthusiast and has raised a variety of different breeds of chickens in her Northern California backyard for the past 25 years. She enjoys using incubators to incubate and hatch fertile chicken eggs so she can raise baby chicks from day 1. Some of her favorites include Crested Cream Legbars, Marans, Silkies, Orpingtons and Olive Eggers. These breeds make a beautiful basket of farm fresh eggs! Both she and her husband built their own chicken coop and she and her Dad built her current chick brooder. Jenny likes to share tips and tricks that she has learned over the years to make it easier for others to raise happy, healthy and productive chickens. Just last year, Jenny released a Special 9 Herb Chicken Nesting Box Blend that helps to increase hen egg production as well as keep chickens happy and healthy. And this year she released Cooling Herbs for Chickens that helps to lower chicken core body temperature during extreme heat.
When Can Baby Chicks Go Outside? https://www.backyardchickensmama.com/when-can-baby-chicks-go-outside/
