[chooknewbie]

Hi All,

My babies are beginning to get rather crowded in their indoor hutch and what with the weather being not brilliant i am loathe to put them out in their outdoor run which is as yet uncovered from the elements....(got wire on the top to stop predators but no good for rain!)

I am planning on putting them in my old dog kennel which i am going to add some perches to (do they need nest boxes or similar as they only 4 weeks at yet?). Is it going to be too soon to put them out...(with a light for heat)...? it has a covered run but as yet has pea gravel for flooring...would this be ok? I want to try and get some grass in there for them....

[Paddywack]

Hi chooknewbie,

Have you had some success hatching out, how many do you have?
I’m so glad you have some chicks, what breed are they, have you posted any pics?

I haven’t been around much lately, so busy with work.

I have left my hatch (8 silkies)out for the first time tonight, I put them under the lamp for the first 4 weeks then started to reduce the number of hours the light was on. Then put them outside during the day for a week and tonight all night, (so a little worried).

Over the run which is wire I have covered part of it with a board for some protection against the rain, they have been out all day today and they are ok.

I’m no expert but I would have thought 4 weeks was a bit early (are they fully feathered?) someone will be along soon with more experience.

I have put them in a house with nest boxes and perches and they do use them.

Good luck with them
Paddywack

[mother hen]

Im no expert but I put 6 week old wyandotte bantams out on saturday with broody, they are in small coop and run on grass, I put a sheet of hardboard over the run to try and keep rain off.  I have been worried about them but they do seem very lively and chirpy.  Saturday and sunday did seem quite nice weather wise so maybe that helped them acclimatise.  Hope this helps

[SnooziSuzi]

Not sure about 4 weeks old but I put my L sussex chicks and broody out as soon as I got them at 7 weeks and they were fine; they just snuggled under mammy's wings and were fine.  They're 11 weeks old now and she moved them into the big henhouse all on her own and they are fine just seeing to themselves now.

[chooknewbie]

They would be in a shed (for all intents and purposes) through the night so totally covered from the elements and will have lots of hay, it has a 4 foot by 2 foot covered run also, but this is onto pea gravel (easier to clean with the dogs in its earlier life as a kennel)...there is also a hutch in the inside bit (have also used it to the rabbit and guinea pig through the winter) so would just need to sort out a light sorce....

They are pretty much fully feathered now (few small bold patches) and i think i have 4 females and two males which would be totally brilliant as i wouldnt have to rehome any..

They are a maran/rir cross i think... two (the males i think) have got gorgeous red chests and legs with dark bits on their wings lined with red, and the other four have darker wings all over with red highlights. I will try and get some more pics on.

They are ok i guess in the hutch still but they are getting that much bigger now..5 weeks on sunday, that i dont want them to be cramped...just want to do whats best for them, as they are no trouble at all...(unless they eat all their food through the night and start yelling for more at 4am!)      

[chooknewbie]

this is similar but mine is bigger... just to give you an idea...

[chooknewbie]

i think the ones with the really red chests are the males, although obviously at this stage i cant be any where near sure, its just a hunch...having seen the parents, and looking at their combs, theirs (red chested) seem to be more developed in both of them in comparrison to the other four, who are a different colouring...coincidence???...knowing my luck its the other way round and i have 4 males to 2 females and I am just being blonde...    (and yes, i am blonde so i am allowed... )

I have tried filming them so when i get that sorted i will try and put that up too.

[Vember]

They're beautiful

an haven't they grown  

[SnooziSuzi]

Hehe!  what cheeky faces they have!

[chooknewbie]

cheeky faces and sharp bloomin beaks!! my girls have had their beaks trimmed i think, and my goodness you cant half tell the difference when you give them something from the hand and these babies....owch!

[chooknewbie]

They're beautiful

an haven't they grown  

they sure have Vember, hence the thread....bit bigger than i had expected at this stage.... but all the more gorgeous...