Chicks, When can they go outside all night!

[Annielou]

Hiya, we have 20 4 week old chicks, all but 3 are full of feathers and no downy fluffy stuff on them, they are also huge and producing one heck of alot of pooh, which is really stinking out the dining room at night, we have them in the garden during the day in a greenhouse type affair so they are cosy but have space to flap about and fly!! Got a window and a mesh door so plenty of ventilation, i'm just thinking when they can stay in there all night? They have a box with perches in inside the greenhouse but don't want them to be out there if they will be cold but also want to get my dining room back, what age do they go in the outside run for fulltime? The window closes and we have a proper door so will be raft free at night.
Thanks for your help in advance,

[stace]

sorry i have never had chicks but hopefully Jen will be along later to help you out she knows her stuff I think she says at about 6 /8 weeks ? depending on the time of year, and the weather not much help i know

Stace

[Annielou]

Hi, I wrote to someone before and they said something about 6 weeks and having all their flight feathers, they seem to me to have all their feathers bar the 3 smaller ones so wondered if I might get my dining room back 2 weeks earlier!!!

[stace]

Well i can understand that lol as long as they are warm and protected from the weather and any predetors they should be fine, but as i say i am no expert on this

Stace

[Annielou]

Hi Jen
We have a cardboard box inside the greenhouse for them to sleep in but don't seem to go in there, I brought them inside tonight at 10pm, when I put them in the box they all felt warm but they were all cheaping, they were spaced out abit and not really clustered together, they are wanting to roost I think so will get hubby to put some perches in the box, we cut a hole at the bottom for them to go in and have a plank leading up to it, it is off the floor to stop it from getting damp, but they don't seem to be going in there, might have to make the opening a bit bigger. Having raised them this long we don't want to risk them getting cold but I also want my dinning room back!! AND THE STINK!!!!!!!! We have them on roofing felt that we hose down and clean every day but the room is starting to smell of pooh!!

[Annielou]

Hi Jen, thanks for your help, my mum would have had a breakdown if i'd wanted to keep chickens in the house!! I only just got away with a rabbit down the bottom of the garden while I was at home!! Think that's why i've gone animal mad now!! Hubby is going to make them a wooden box tomorow with some perches but we will put them to bed so to speak for the next few days till they get the gist, thanks again!! Looking forward to getting my dinning room back, stinks in there already and they've only been in 2 hours, and I scrubed their box today as well!! What sort of age can we introduce them to the other flock? We have 14 ex-batts and 1 rooster, not sure what he will do with small ones? We think we have 5 roosters in our batch of 20 at what age do they start fighting? Going to give one to my friend but will separate the other 4 boys before they start fighting, don't think I could handle that, our rooster has a go at me when I go to get eggs so not sure how he will react to small ones on is patch or small boys for that matter!!

[p.penn]

I looked after my daughter's 4 day old chicks a few wekks ago and after having them for 2 weeks I put them outside because of the smell in my didning room! Mind you, I had an electric brooder in there with them as they were so small.

But OMG, they do smell awful inside don't they?

[Popalops]

If they are fully feathered, about 7 weeks should be ok, the main thing to watch is corners, if they can find a corner they eill pile up on top of each other for warmth, the bottom ones suffocate, I have lost several this way, best bet is a light bulb hung near the floor about 12 inches, they will all lay under that, then just raise the bulb an inch or two every day, for about 2 weeks, by then they should be ok, I have 1 lot at 5 weeks 1 lot at 6 weeks, another at2 weeks and 1 at 3 days all outside but with broody hens.

Tony

[Annielou]

Hi, thanks for all your advice, hubby made them a nice snug box to sleep in outside in their greenhouse and their fisrt night has gone without a hitch, all happy and flapping about, we had the bulb in there last night so will raise that a bit end of the week, thanks for all your help guys. Note for Jen i've been chasing my rooster, poor ugger doesn't know what's got into me!! Don't think he'll be ramming me again!!

[anmol77]

Looking forward to getting my dinning room back, stinks in there already and they've only been in 2 hours, and I scrubed their box today as well!! What sort of age can we introduce them to the other flock??????

[kitla]

Anmol you ought really to start a new thread in the chicken section, then you can tell us all about your chicks. Have you hatched them or bought in some babies? They can go in with the others once they are old enough to defend themselves & fully feathered, but they will need gradual introductions. It all depends on your set up, how big the run is, if they free range etc. Best to start a new thread & give us some more information - we like pics too!

[sandy]

Mods a cunning troll on last post care no one click on anything on last post

[Mad Chick]

Anmol77 is no longer with us. Him and his dodgy links can go and spread their spam elsewhere