Single hen

[Redwing]

Our chicks are a few weeks old now and are looking an absolute state as their feathers are coming through! (if anyone wants any dander I have plenty )

 

The chicks are eating for England and are growing at an astonishing rate; I have the chick crumb merchant on speed dial!

 

They are looking a bit crowded in their cage now, when can they go outside? I think I have read its about 8 weeks normally but these are obviously quicker growing so do they go out sooner?

 

I can't see them staying in that cage for another month I have a wooden house and run for them but I don't have an 'in-between' place like a garage that they could be temporarily housed in although I can rig up some type of windbreak for the house outside and can cover the run obviously.

 

I thought I had planned this quite well but all the stuff I have read applied to normal chicks and not these monsters!

 

I am not worried about the noise/mess/smell while keeping them indoors I am just worried that behavioural problems will break out if they are in such close quarters

 

The cage is just over a metre long and 60cm deep and there are five chicks, they are only on heat at night now with the lamp much higher above them now so its a low heat, three have lots of feathers and two still have quite a bit of fluff

 

Any advice would be great, thanks

[Lesley]

I usually wait until all the fluff has gone and they are quite well feathered . The weather may be a little on the cold side for a couple of weeks as well

 

If you think space will become a problem then adding cover to the outside run would be better than keeping them inside I think.

[TAJ]

Mine go out feathered up, but I have to say it has been between 5 & 6 weeks that they have been totally off heat and in the eglu - and that was over the winter when it was cold - they grow that much quicker than 'normal' birds.

 

Mine from Jude went out at 5½ weeks - just make sure they are not scared of the dark and are getting use to dark (and therefore not eating) for a few hours at a time to be able to cope with whole nights in a dark coop. I managed to put a hanging feeder & water container in the eglu for the first couple of weeks when they were out so help them adjust fully to day & night.

 

I started leaving the eglu door open at night when they were about 9-10 weeks old.

 

Tracy

[Redwing]

Thanks you two!

 

I am planning ahead so do think they will be ok for a couple more weeks, I am not about to chuck them out just yet

 

I have a big dog cage I can use to extend the indoor cage if necessary, Chicken rotastack anyone?

[bronze]

I think I went for about 6 weeks but it depend on the weather. If it stays like this then it would sooner rather than later.