How to

[its hilly]

I've got 5 seven week old chicks which are fully feathered sharing the dog cage with some three week old chicks. There is a heat lamp set quite high above it, but the bigs dont go near it except for the odd 'sunbathe' and the littles (which are half feathered) cuddle up with them rather than sit under the lamp.
So my question is..if I put the bigs out into the baby coop and run, which is a very solid draught free one, could the littles go with them? Or would it be a bit too soon?
Its a big cage at 4x3 feet, so it wont do any harm for them to all stay there another week, but would the older ones start picking on the younger, or will they stay as a big family?

[MaureenHall]

I had my 12 Croad Langshan chicks in a big dog cage indoors until the youngest were about a month old. Now I know that Croads are big birds, but they really were starting to get more than a bit crowded in there even at that young age. I took the decision to put them outside in a very sheltered run and coop, worried like mad for the first couple of nights, but they've done brilliantly I think it'd depend on how well feathered up they are and how you personally feel about it. Have you been putting the cage outside for periods each day so they get used to the fresh air and changes in temperature?

I'm not saying yes you should do it, or no you shouldn't, you know your chicks better than anyone so I'd go with gut feeling. 7 weeks is usually fine for them to move on though

[Suechooks]

I'm asking myself the same questions as I have my 10 week old Orps (living in an ark at the allotment)and 6 week old Wyandottes and Sussex at home in the shed all needing to be together but with the colder nights forecast I've decided to keep the younger ones at home for another week. They'll be moving into a big 6' x4' coop together eventually. Most of the younger ones are fully feathered bar 3 who I'm pretty sure are boys

[its hilly]

Maureen at 4ft x 3ft it takes two of us to carry the cage.. they just have to make do with having the window open on dry days..so the last three weeks ish lol.
Well i think the older ones need to go out as they are at that stage of wrecking everything. They climb onto the hanging feeder and scrat all the pellet out, they stand on the edge of the very heavy water bowls and tip them up, and knock the wall mounted ones off. The silver suss roo simply HAS to stand on or in anything I put in and also chases the littles (not that they worry, they just dodge behind someone else big and laugh) but it causes chaos for those who are trying to kip.

Only worry now is at what age would they be too bossy to add youngsters in with in the outdoor run? Or will they bully even at this age?

[its hilly]

And a quick update, after a little more thought I've put the 5 bigs out. They went into the coop last night, and this morning there was total silence...till I opened the door and they all shot out yelling. They seemed very happy tonight, but as fast as I got 1 to bed another would pop back out..typical teenagers eh?

[its hilly]

Oh I am so pleased with these big babies. They went out on Weds, and it's been like trying to plait fog getting all five of them in at night. Resorted to shutting the door, grabbing one at a time and shoving them in. Then on Sat I lifted the run top and three immediately dived in through the door, yesterday and today they've put themselves to bed before I even went to their run. So I thought they deserved to have a pici taken



The lavender is Nick, the one who had a crooked neck. Nearly normal now but still tilts a bit in panic mode. And the mini silkie has twisted toes that just wouldn't come straight, but I just couldn't cull it as its so sweet.