Breaking The Rules? Raising Chicks Outside Comes With Serious Considerations

Comments · 80

• OA

  @OakAbode · 2 years ago · pinned

  Didn’t touch on extreme heat specifically too much in this video, but that’s a great one to watch out for too!

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• MA

  @maryvitorelo572 · 1 year ago

  I just had the experience of introducing chicks to raise by a broody hen  I am now a firm believer that is the way to go for us raising chicks going forward. The chicks seem healthier and happier, not to mention how happy our chronically bloody hen was to finally be able to be the mama hen she so desperately wanted to be.

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• NO

  @nogames8982 · 2 years ago

  I raise the chicks indoors in a plastic bin for about a week. And then I move them outside with what’s called a mama heating pad set up in the coop. It works beautifully. When you raise them outside, they get used to the weather quicker, they get their feathers in quicker. And they get introduced to the other chickens quicker even if it’s just through a wired dog crate at first.

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• WA

  @waddeym · 2 years ago

  I just lost 7  4 month old birds to what I assume was heat stress. I have been raising them in a 10 x 10 greenhouse with hardware cloth wrapped around it to keep out predators. They were partially shaded and had plenty of water. We hit mid 90's temps with 110 heat index and they just couldn't get cooled off enough. My fault entirely for not anticipating this problem. This is just a warning to keep an eye on the daily temps.

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• BE

  @beebop9808 · 2 years ago

  Oh yeah, broody hens are the ticket. They taught me that those little chicks are tough as nails. But mostly because they&apos;re hands free and just a joy to watch. Amazing what two week old chicks can do, like go out and retrieve lost chicks that can&apos;t find their way back into the run at night.<br>Zero problems with three broods going for the past three to four weeks except one day about a week ago when one of the girls got into a yote at the edge of the woods. Apparently she blasted off into the woods to draw it away? By the time I got into the thick woods far enough to see her bobbing and weaving through the thick the chicks were back in the yard. I got a glimpse of the yote as it saw me and scrammed. After a head count she was short three chicks, 11 of 14 present. Sitting with some of the birds in the shade a half hour or more later I heard a chick in the woods and as I got there one came out that had found it&apos;s way back. Small victories matter so much! <br>Gonna get me some yotes here before too long.........

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• TH

  @thedeadgypsy · 2 years ago (edited)

  Love the video. I&apos;ve been brooding outside for the past year. I&apos;ve found that they grow faster, feather out faster, and are happier, and so much easier to care for.

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• CA

  @Caveman_Mid_MO · 2 years ago

  This year I raised 40 more chicks that are now just starting to lay. The plan is to stock up on freeze dried eggs over the next year or so. After that I will drop my bird count again back to around a dozen just to have fresh eggs to eat and for friends and family. I so enjoy watching your channel! I sincerely hope that you and yours are safe and doing well! Much love, honor, and respect your way!

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• PE

  @peacefulpetspetcare6470 · 1 year ago

  I raised my last batch of chicks outside but it was summer. This video was super helpful now that it’s fall.

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• WE

  @wendycol8354 · 2 years ago

  I have some chick&apos;s we got the last day of August. I have been bringing them outside but they are staying inside for the night. They are much happier when outside, there&apos;s more room in the area and they can really do all the chicken behaviors. First thing they did was a dirt bath in a small dirt spot. <br>We have 7 laying hens. Wish one had been broody. I&apos;m looking forward to when they can stay in the run with the others. <br>Thanks for the video. Maybe i can make a secure place for them to stay outside soon. We have lots of hawks and live near a forest preserve with all the usual suspects. This is my first year with chickens and i really love them!

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• PA

  @Pahthum · 10 days ago

  Watching even though I already raised my chicks inside 😂 I just enjoy information :3

• GH

  @ghostridergale · 6 months ago

  Usually raise my chicks in my garage when they first hatch and allow the hen to stay with her chicks. I will take them outside if it’s above 75 F and take them back inside before the night temps drop too much. After they’re older and got a good majority of their feathers I will let them stay outside day and night long as temps aren’t dropping too much below 60 F <br>Regardless they still get their heaters to crawl under and stay warm. I have ones similar to yours, plus one that looks more like a laptop and has a timer up to 24 hours and shuts off. &nbsp;So I got to remember to turn it back on every day! &nbsp;I keep this heater standing up like a book on a stand and the chicks cozy up next to the heated sides . &nbsp;Coop I put them in is actually more of a tractor coop with hardware cloth that wraps over top and sides. Only the two ends are solid wood. &nbsp;I use this tractor to let the older chickens to get acquainted with the chicks as the chicks get older and will eventually go in the coop once the chicks are pretty close to adult size hens. &nbsp;So far it seems to work pretty well when I put the older chicks and hens together in the same coop and they usually get along pretty well

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• SU

  @suel1634 · 2 years ago

  I love your videos. &nbsp;So many people I follow live in much warmer climates/ zones than I do here in central WI, so it&apos;s nice to watch someone from the same general area to give me good inspiration &nbsp;for our area. Thank you.

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