# Introducing chicks to the outdoor.



## MichiganJay (Apr 18, 2013)

Hello all, 
I have 32 chicks of mixed variety that are 4.5 weeks old. They have been in the hen house with the lights for most of their lives. Two days ago I put up a pen and opened the door, but no one is interested in going outside. What do I do?





All


----------



## Bird_slave (Oct 26, 2012)

Put them out. Is your pen covered? That's important. Doesn't take much for a bird of prey to swoop in and grab one otherwise. Just make sure they have food and water available to them should it take them awhile to figure out how to get back inside. Also, check on them regularly to make sure no one is getting too cold and needs to go back inside to warm up.


----------



## MichiganJay (Apr 18, 2013)

Okay, I will put them out today. It should be 70 degrees here today but it is always a bit windy where they are. The pen is covered on the top, but I had a cat sighting this morning in my range. Live trap is loaded with chicken of the sea, I have a few week old homing pigeons that cat would love to snatch from mom pigeon.


----------



## Bird_slave (Oct 26, 2012)

MichiganJay said:


> Okay, I will put them out today. It should be 70 degrees here today but it is always a bit windy where they are. The pen is covered on the top, but I had a cat sighting this morning in my range. Live trap is loaded with chicken of the sea, I have a few week old homing pigeons that cat would love to snatch from mom pigeon.


Stray cats and roaming dogs, two of the worst predators.


----------



## MichiganJay (Apr 18, 2013)

Thanks for all the help. I put them out the door and they quickly starting pecking and scratching around. A few instantly climbed the ramp back to the house. Then after 15 minutes they were going in and out sort of enjoying the novelty of it


----------

