Poo help please!

[heth1986]

Hello all, I'm after some opinions on when my smelly little chicks can begin to go outside?

They'll be 5 weeks old tomorrow and are currently indoors (in the house) in a rabbit cage. I've just taken them off the heat and they seem to be perfectly happy, still cheeping and scrabbling about etc. Obviously I'm not going to send them marching off out into the snow, my plan is to move them into the shed until the Spring time. I think i'll keep them inside for another week anyway, then they'll be 6 weeks old. Would I be okay putting them in the shed during the day and bringing them inside at night after this?

[good_egg]

I've never raised chicks, but my little maran was only 7 or 8 weeks when I got her. She had only just gone outside and the breeder commented it was quite young, but there was no room. That was late summer and she was pretty much in a shed. I would be tempted to wait a couple more weeks, its quite a transition from heat even to shed and you'd hate anything to happen..

[miller30]

I think you would be better waiting it is to cold at the mo even in the daytime i know they are a pain indoors and its great to move them out but they might catch a chill leanne

[heth1986]

Yep, that's what I was worried about! They're no bother to be honest, I quite like having them inside but the OH isn't too keen I'll give it a couple more weeks then and maybe put the heat lamp on an extension lead in the shed in the mean time and see what the temperature's like... it's attached to my garage so I've got some power in there Who ever thought it a good idea to raise chicks in the dead of winter?!