When Can Chicks Go Outside?

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1 When Can Chicks Go Outside? One of the top questions I am asked is when can chicks go outside. The need for warmth is key to a growing chick. The growing period is important and making adjustments at the right time is crucial to their future health and well being. The answer really depends on you providing the need for warmth, safety, food and water, where ever you house the brooder. The first weeks of life you are dealing with rather fragile beings. They require a very warm environment. Even if you have a shed, garage or coop with electric, the heat source will be needed 24/7. As the chicks grow, you will see them venture away from the heat source more and more. The chick s downy covering will give way to new feathers. You can start to reduce the heat level gradually. Starting with the brooder

2 near 100 degrees F, gradually reduce the heat by 5 degrees each week. If the chicks are mostly feathered and the weather is warm enough at night, you can gradually begin to wean them from the heat. This won t happen for the first few weeks of life, however. Chilling is one of the leading causes of chick death. Once a chick gets chilled, it is hard to bring them back. The first few days are critical in giving your new chicks the best start.

3 When Can Chicks Go Outside? As the chicks begin to grow, the mess becomes messier. You may begin to wonder if they will do just as well, outside of the brooder, in the coop. I want to encourage you to wait as long as possible before doing this. Not only can the chicks become chilled and suffer illness from being moved too early, but you set them up to become ill from bacteria and parasites. Chicks are growing rapidly and need free access to food and water. Moving them to a coop situation where they will come in contact with staph, e-coli, coccidia, and Mareks disease is risky. Chicks need good nutrition, and time to build a strong immune system before being moved outside.

4 I hedge a little on my answer, because each breed feathers out at a slightly different rate. And each area of the world has different weather patterns. Sometime between 4 and 6 weeks of age, depending on the weather, the chicks may be able to begin living in the coop. Some people are successful with leaving the chicks in the coop and run during the warmer daytime, and bringing them into the garage or home at night. The answer to when can chicks go outside is a variable situation! This does not mean that the chicks are ready to be integrated with the big chickens. You will want to take that slow and easy, when they are a little bigger.

5 When Can Chicks Join the Flock If you watch a mother hen take care of her babies you will see that she protects them from other flock members. It takes a bold chicken to mess with a mama hen. In the case of chicks raised by humans, we have removed this protective barrier. We must use safe practices to integrate the new young pullets to the flock. Gradual and slow are the terms to keep in mind. My usual time line for introducing the new chicks to the flock is around 10 weeks. The chicks must be fully feathered, and on their way to similar size of the chickens they are joining.

6 Adding small bantams to large breed, more aggressive hens is not always going to end well. A sharp hard peck on the head can damage a tiny bantam pullet. In addition, a full size rooster trying to mate with a small bantam pullet can damage or hurt the little one. I have had some bad outcomes from integrating small breeds into large breeds so I don t recommend it. On the other hand if they are raised together, I have had no such issues. When chicks are losing the baby appearance, feather growth has come in, get some sort of enclosure to put them in as they begin to experience the big kids area. I do not recommend just tossing the chicks into the big chicken s area. Let them both get used to each other through a fence, dog crate, or some other wire enclosure. The chicks will still have their own food and water so they are sure to get plenty to eat and drink. You may need to keep the food and water in the middle of the pen so they big chickens can t reach in for a snack.

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8 Fully Integrated Flock Once the chicks don t seem to be getting much attention through the fence, from the flock, you can try some short intervals of letting them out. I try to keep an eye on this and I do rescue anyone who seems to be picked on. Placing some hiding spots around the run. One year four of our pullets liked to hide out behind the coop door. I have also leaned a piece of plywood against the fence for a lean-to. A fallen tree limb with leaves can provide cover, too. Is There a Right Answer? When can chicks go outside and when can chicks join the flock are important points to consider when raising chickens. I think that the answer depends on a lot of factors. Weather, coop set up, and breeds of chickens, are some of the variables involved. What tips would you add about when can chicks go

9 outside? How did you introduce your chicks to your flock? I d love to keep the discussion going in the comments. How to Choose Chicks for Your Flock Is it time for you to choose chicks to add to your flock? Maybe you are going to choose chicks based on egg laying, or breed characteristics. Perhaps you are looking to increase one particular breed in your flock. When you get to the feed store, how do you make a decision on which chicks from the bin, should go home with you. What breeds will serve your purpose? And, what if you choose a rooster.

10 There are some important considerations when choosing chicks from the bin. Before heading out, know how many chickens your coop and yard can support. Be aware of the local laws on chicken keeping and the number you can legally keep. Some breeds grow larger than other breeds. Larger hens are obviously going to take up more space in the coop! Even though the weak little chick sitting in the brooder may look like it needs saving, try to choose the healthier looking, active chicks. It s a sad fact that not all who hatch will grow into chickens. The Purpose of the Chicken Chickens serve more than one purpose on a farm or homestead. They are kept for fresh eggs and for meat. When you choose chicks, keep in mind your purpose. Many egg laying breeds are available in most feed stores and garden centers. Popular egg laying breeds include, Buff Orpington, Silver Laced Wyandotte, Rhode Island Red, New Hampshire, Barred Rock, Speckled Sussex, Ameraucanas, Welsummers, Leghorns, and Australorps. Meat breeds include Cornish Cross and Freedom Rangers. These breeds gain weight quickly and within ten weeks you are ready to butcher.

11 Dual purpose breeds can be kept for both egg laying and meat purpose. These breeds are often heavy weight, large breed chickens. Some choose chicks from the following breeds when looking for dual purpose chickens: Brahmas, Buckeye, Jersey Giant, White Rock, and Delaware. Sometimes people choose chicks based on appearance. Chickens are enjoyable to watch. Fancy breeds are sought by people who are interested in showing chickens, breeding, and just because. Who can resist a fluffy silky, a comical Polish, or the rare Olandsk Dwarf. There are so many beautiful breeds to choose chicks from and that is before we even consider the wide range of bantam breeds available. How to Choose Your Chicks at the Store When you begin looking in the brooder bins of chicks at the store, it can be somewhat overwhelming at first. They all initially look alike! But watch them for a few minutes and you

12 will see some differences. Look for chicks that are easily and frequently moving to the food and water areas. The chicks that are not finding water and food may just need a bit more time or they could be sleepy. All chicks wake up at different times after hatching. The chicks that are freely moving around the brooder are you best bets at this point. Some stores won t allow the chicks to be handled for safety and sanitation reasons. If you can hold the chicks, do a quick tip to toe health scan on the chick before choosing it for your flock. Look for the following traits: Clear eyes Straight beak, not twisted or crossed Dry and fluffy downy feathers Legs are straight and strong, feet are symetrical and the chick can stand easily 5. Vent area is clear of droppings. Chicks commonly get a day or two of clogged vent from sticky droppings. The vent area should be cleaned with a warm wet cloth to soften and carefully remove the clot of droppings. As

13 long as the chick looks otherwise healthy, this isn t a reason to leave a chick behind. 6. Pecking order starts young. Don t be overly concerned if one seems to be a little bully. Wait ten minutes and it might be a different chick doing the same behavior. Can You Rely on Vent Sexing and Wing Sexing? Hatcheries rely on trained employees examining the chicks and determining if they are pullet or cockerel. Although some people are quite good at this, the margin for error is still present. Most hatcheries will give between 90 and 100% accuracy. Although you may order and pay extra for a batch of pullets, receiving a rooster can happen. Choose Chicks Based on Egg Color White egg laying chickens include over 20 different breeds. The most popular or commonly available breeds are White and Brown Leghorn, California White, Ancona and Blue Andalusion. Brown egg laying breeds include, Rhode Island Red, New Hampshire, Red and Black Sex Links, Barred Rock, Partridge Rock, Orpingtons, Wyandottes, and the production hybrid breeds.

14 Heritage Breed Chicks vs. Hybrid Breeds Heritage breeds, hybrid breeds, Bantams, Dwarf, what do all these terms mean to you when you choose chicks for your flock? Heritage breeds are purebred chickens of a specific breed. The heritage breeds must adhere to the American Poultry Association standards with a traceable genetic lineage. The chickens must be from naturally fertilized, heritage breed eggs. These breeds are slower maturing, and true to breed standards as stated in the American Poultry Association. Adding Bantams to the Flock Bantam chickens are popular with many people. The Livestock Conservancy defines Bantam chickens this way, Most bantams are scaled down models of large fowl and were developed for the pleasure of show. The Bantams may be smaller but the eggs are still delicious. Use an extra egg for

15 every two eggs called for in a recipe. Many chicken keepers with smaller properties appreciate the small sized Bantams. They don t need as large a chicken coop and they are extremely beautiful birds, just like the full size chickens. Most of the time, adding a few bantams to a large sized flock will go smoothly. If you see pecking order issues, you may want to consider separating your Bantams from the larger chickens. In most cases, chicks of both sizes, raised together will do well. Hybrid Chicken Breeds Hybrid chicken breeds are a result of crossing two or more heritage breeds. Many of the breeds referred to as sex link are hybrid breeds, created to be extremely good egg layers. These are the breeds many people will choose for high egg production. Many of these breeds can be sexed at hatch because they are a certain color only found on one sex.

16 What Methods Do Choosing Chicks? You Use for Everyone is looking for their own special flock of chickens so it s a good idea to choose chicks that will work for your purpose. Egg laying rate and temperament differ from breed to breed and chicken to chicken. A little research into the breeds before heading to the store can make the decisions easier.

17 10 Wild Herbs for Chicken

18 Health Do you forage for wild herbs for chicken health for your flock? When we keep chickens in coops and runs, we have to provide the majority of the nutrition. Present day chicken keeping varies and the picture may be totally different than in days gone by. A few generations back, our grandparents kept chickens free ranging in the barnyard. Some chickens were kept in small backyards, roaming freely, eating all the bugs and wild herbs they could find. Those wild herbs for chicken health were a free food and very beneficial. Due to growth, suburban sprawl, fewer farms, and more people working off the homestead, chickens are often kept penned up for their safety. The chickens might still get some free range time, but leaving them out to roam freely can often lead to predators having a tasty chicken snack. Bugs and some greens might survive the run but most green plants will be eaten quickly by the flock. In order to provide a well balanced diet to the flock, chicken keepers rely on manufactured chicken

19 rations. The chicken food is formulated to meet all the nutrient needs of a laying hen or growing meat chicken. The packaged food may not meet the need for fresh vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, that wild herbs for chicken health can provide. Just as in our diets, nothing beats fresh food for providing nutrient dense nourishment. If your flock is able to roam and forage safely, you will notice the different types of plants and herbs that they enjoy. When they find a delicious species of plant there is often great excitement and cackling. All the other chickens come running to taste the treat. Usually chickens will ignore plants that are potentially toxic, as long as there are plenty of other choices in foods available. In the wild or in free range flocks, chickens forage all day long. Dandelions, chick weed, wild violets, jewel weed, plantain leaves and clover are some of the wild herbaceous plants chickens love to snack on.

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21 Benefits of 5 Chicken Health Wild Herbs for Smart weed Antioxidant, Antibacterial, Antifungal and aids respiratory health. Wild Violet circulatory aid Plantain use for wound care, anti-diarrhea and antiinflammatory. Delicious green leaves full of antioxidants and vitamins Nettle -Minerals, Calcium and Protein Harvest carefully for your flock and dry the leaves so you don t experience the sting Chickweed Natural pain reliever, high in vitamins and minerals Great source of nutrition

22 Other Highly Nutritious Safe Wild Herbs for Chicken Health Purple Deadnettle While it is completely edible, deadnettle isn t the best tasting early foraged green. Purple Deadnettle is not related to Stinging Nettle. It is anti inflammatory, antibacterial and antifungal. Since it is often an early appearing wild plant on the east coast, it can be a good source of health benefits, before other plants are waking from winter. The bees love it too. Lambs Quarters Rich in antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. Mugwort Often cited as a plant that repels external parasites such as mites, fleas, and lice. Not a bad idea to have this growing around the yard! Wild Wineberry and leaves Chickens can eat raspberries and wineberries are a similar plant. My chickens don t go crazy over the berries but our wildlife sure does. If I don t get some harvested from the vines quickly, the deer and birds eat them all! Rest assured though, if your flock loves the tiny wineberry, it won t harm them, if eaten in reasonable amounts. Clover As part of a general free ranging foraging situation, clover is a good food for chickens. It should be well balanced with other plants due to it s blood thinning capability. High in minerals, vitamins, and protein, clover is easy to find among the plants growing in your yard.

23 Toxic Herbs Chickens Should Avoid Buttercup Rhubarb St. John s Wort Mullein A small nibble of the leaves or flowers probably won t hurt the chickens, but the seeds are known to be toxic. I was disappointed to learn this, because we have a lot of mullein growing in our woods. It does have many good medicinal properties for people, both in the fresh yellow blooms and the dried leaves. Your free ranging flock will most likely totally ignore the wild mullein.

24 Other toxic herbs and other foods can be found on this list. There s no need to feel you are letting your flock down if you have to keep them penned in a run during the day. This is the responsible thing to do for their safety if you have predators able to access your yard. You can, however, add to their diet by providing fresh weeds and herbs for them. Picking a basket of wild herbs for your chickens will help them stay healthy and resist illness. It is a simple thing to provide wild herbs for chicken health. Luxury Chicken Coop Upgrade

25 Our coop is a converted garden shed. It contains the basics of chicken life but no chicken coop upgrade. Slowly, we have added some upgrades and replacement parts, repaired windows, holes, and secured the flooring. No real luxury for the chicken coop, just a nice sturdy structure. I guess the chickens have been reading some lifestyle magazines because Whynnie s latest diary entry is a list of what the flock thinks is necessary. Read what Whynnie feels are important features in a chicken coop upgrade. Whynnie Discusses How to Add A Chicken Coop Upgrade or Two Dear Diary It s me Whynnie. I don t know how to break the news to the farmers around here, but this coop is outdated and sorely lacking in amenities. Did you see that new coop that arrived here a few weeks back? I heard that it has a lot of upgrades. The rumor is that it even has a screen door! I do not know

26 why the baby chickens got to have that coop. Seems to me it should have come to us first. But never mind about that. If the farmers will just meet these simple requests, no further actions with the chicken housing administrator will need to happen. First, We want an automatic door. Occasionally they are late arriving in the morning and we are kept waiting to get out and greet the day. This would be a convenient chicken coop upgrade. Believe me, no one wants to be stuck in the coop with three roosters once they wake up. At least in the run, they are distracted a bit and leave us to get a bite to eat. Second item- An automatic watering system for the coop and run. Yes I know the farmers change the water tubs out twice each day. But the automatic water system would give us fresh water all the time. And it could be connected to the warm water during the cold times. Think of the convenience! And while we are on the subject, how about if they throw in a snack machine. I m thinking healthy snacks like blueberries, cracked oats, sunflower seeds, bundles of fresh herbs. dear, now my beak is watering! Oh

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28 Chicken Coop Upgrade in the Run We need a garden in the run. I see a garden out there, so I know they know how to plant stuff for us to choose. We need one without a fence around it. Lettuce, cabbage, broccoli, spinach, and more, right outside our front door. great upgrade. Now that s a

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30 And in the Coop. Inside dust bathing area. I want to take a bath even on rainy days. The farmers should put a small dust bathing station in the coop for bad weather. That would seem to be a simple chicken coop upgrade We have roost bars, and nesting boxes but they could use an upgrade. There should be privacy curtains on these nesting areas. And please knock before entering. A girl likes to have her privacy for egg laying. The Most Important Chicken Coop Upgrade According to Whynnie Last but not least, this screen door issue. I look at that new coop with the fancy secure screen door and I can t help it. It is what I want it for our coop. Think about how wonderful it would be to have a securely covered screen door. This would help keep us safe it the evening when it is too hot to have the coop doors closed before dark. I will also need to talk to the farmers about the media center. This should have been added already. I am missing all my Netflix shows. Sad to say the old coop just isn t what she used to be. Yes we have safety, security and protection from the elements. There s plenty of roosting space, especially with the the new roost set up. Plenty of nest boxes and feeders for calcium supplements and grit too. This is about staying up to date and taking care of your real estate. Surely the farmers can see the importance of these items. Signed Whynnie

31 So friends, what have you done to your coop to add a chicken coop upgrade or two? Please tell me what you think of Whynnie s list in the comments section. 9 Foods that are not on the Chicken s Christmas List

32 A chicken s Christmas List? The note was stuck to the door of the coop when I opened up. The chickens were sleepy. Apparently they had stayed up a bit too late scratching out a letter to Santa Claus. I noticed that there were a significant number of things missing from the chicken s Christmas list. Items that we, humans, indulge in during the holiday season. We often read how it is so great to have chickens because they can eat all of our compost and garbage but that is not completely true. And since a lot of us will be cooking and enjoying some delicious food in the coming weeks, I wanted to repeat the items that should and should not be on the chicken treat menu. 9 Foods that are not on Chicken s Christmas List. the 1. Chocolate. I know! Wow. One of my all time favorite foods. But not for the feathered family members.

33 2. Alcohol. I think it s probably common sense that this should not be included in a chicken s diet but, hey, I am just making the list. 3. Caffeine. All I can say is I am glad I am not a chicken 4. Avocados. Yes avocados are green but they are not the type of greens that are good for chickens. Avocado pits contain the toxin persin which can be fatal to chickens. I think it s best to not take the chance. And These.. 5. Potatoes. The peels may look like something the chickens could peck at, but potatoes are a member of the nightshade family which contain solanine. Cooking does not completely destroy solanine so it is best to avoid giving potatoes to your flock. I do occasionally throw the last spoonful of mashed potatoes into the bowl heading for the chicken coop, but it is rare that I do so. Do not give them the raw peels

34 as you may have a flock with diarrhea or worse. 6. Onions. Onions are commonly used in cooking but the toxin found in onions is called theosulphate. It can lead to a sever case of anemia or jaundice. Garlic is fine to feed to chickens. It contains much less theosulphate and the benefits it adds to the chickens immune system is a huge plus. 7. Rhubarb. If you have been waiting to enjoy a delicious rhubarb pie over the holidays don t take the last slice to the chickens. 8. Citrus. Citrus fruit is high in vitamin C. While some vitamin C is needed, an excess of it can decrease calcium absorption. Decreased calcium in the chicken s blood stream can lead to weak egg shells and lowered amount of egg production. 9, Heavily Creamy foods or lots of dairy products. foods can lead to digestive upset and diarrhea. These

35 So what do the chickens want from Santa? What is on a Chicken s Christmas List? 1. Mealworms 2. Mealworms 3. Shredded cheese (but not too much at one time, as all dairy products can lead to digestive upset in chickens) 4. Leftover scrambled eggs from Christmas breakfast. ( the chickens don t have to know the eggs are leftover!) 5. Vegetable scraps, carrot peels, leftover salad, corn cooked 6. Sunflower seeds add protein and healthy fat to the chicken s diet

36 7. Fresh greens. Why not splurge a little on that extra large bag of kale at the market. Tear the leaves into tiny pieces and sprinkle the kale on top of their food. Yum! 8. Did I mention Mealworms?

37 So there you have it. This list of Do s and Don ts is not all

38 inclusive. I was considering the foods that we commonly have at our house for the holidays, when writing about the chicken s Christmas list. You may have different food traditions for your family celebrations. Ho Ho Ho! Time to finish up that Christmas Shopping, and don t forget the mealworms! Similar topic Which Holiday Leftovers are Safe for my Chickens

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