Reasons for Tossing Out Your Indoor Brooder and Start Raising Your Chicks Outdoors

Very informative and thought provoking. I am going to try and incorporate some of these ideas with my current batch of chicks.

I have probably read this at least 3 times and each time I think of what I can do to adjust it to our coop. Great article. Thank you.

Great information and gives confidence to raise chicks as God made them to be - OUTSIDE! Hip Hip Hooray!

I am so tired of the dust and dirt on my covered patio and in the house from chicks!! I have started to build an area out in the coop for them. Can't wait to use it!! Thank you for sharing your information, thoughts and pictures!!

Very informative and gives me good info for designing a future coop to make raising and integrating chicks better for them and me.

Worked perfectly! Our chicks started roosting with the hens at about 4 weeks. We fenced off the area under the nest boxes with graduated-mesh wire fencing zip tied to wooden frames. Started with the small mesh on the bottom to keep babies in, then just flipped it around at about 3 weeks so they could go in and out. Had to enlarge these openings as they grew but no need for the plywood doors. Easily removed when they are ready to mingle full time.

Wonderful article! We can't wait to try these suggestions with our next round of chicks! Thank you for sharing!

Excellent! I'm about to get my third batch of chicks and designed the chicken shed in a way to be able place a pet cage to keep the chicks safe while they watch the hens and hens get to know the new members.

I love this article! So much wisdom in raising the chicks as much like a mama hen as possible. This will definitely be my approach with my next batch of chicks!

Very interesting thank you for sharing this article!

I'm in the process of constructing a 10 x 20 hoophouse adjacent to the main run. My intention had been to grow them out there, in view of each other, before graduating them out.
Now, with the portal idea, I can see how they can graduate themselves!!

Outstanding clear description of how it works and why. Loved this and it gave me new ideas!

Excellent article, and very timely for us! As I understand the article, a heating element was still used in the run while the chicks were young. The term was a "heating pad cave". What exactly was that? Is it the blue and white thing in the picture? If so, was that an actual heating pad used that was draped over a box frame that was open on one side for the chicks to walk in? It also looked pretty short, as if the chicks would actually be touching the heating pad when in the "cave".

What a simple yet brilliant idea. I'll admit most of us have probably thought of this I know I have but so worried something Dreadful was going to happen if we did. Certainly won't miss the leftover dust that always occurs when you have an indoor brooder in some unused room.

I never thought about the issue of them being reached for from above- clearly a very basic innate Primal Fear I'm sure that's well programmed in their psyche so to speak. Anyway thanks for posting this I will definitely give it a try when the time comes.

Update: the only thought that came to me later is the safety of the chicks in the case of rodents Etc like rats at night?

Great post!

Well done and great food for thought. I hate my brooder in the garage and the chicks running. These are great suggestions.

I just got chickies and this was wonderful and helpful! I really appreciated you tossing out temperatures for reference. That helped a lot as to when to try this out and purchase chicks. I also liked your ideas and your set up. Very au natural and ecosystem friendly. Bravo!

I have wondered about this, and really appreciate reading your thoughts and observations. I am in the process of renovating my chicken coop and run, and will be including a safe pen for the babies in my new design. Many thanks!!

Wonderful article! I'm definitely going to try this going forward! Also, the picture of them from the back while they're looking out the window is ADORABLE.