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

Best idea I have read in a long time!

What a great article! Brand new here, just dipping my toes into the chicken life. Haven’t gotten my chicks yet, and one of the things that were stopping me was the feeling that it wasn’t quite right to raise them inside in isolation. This makes so much sense!

A lot of useful information for me. Thanks so much for this great article and also for the photos.

Great solution to a common problem. Loved the pictures of your set up.

I am so glad to have read your article! I was gifted 3 chicks for Earth Day. They are almost 4 weeks old. I also have only kept the babies inside at night in fear of it being too cold. They still have some baby feathers in their heads and necks. I forgot them in their coop last night and scurried out at 830 and they were sleeping and felt warm to my touch. I dont have any source of heat out there; the coop has an insulated roof. As of right now they are on a 12hr feeding 730-730 and then i bring them inside. They seem much happier outside than in my home with the craziness.
thank you for sharing this experience

Wow now I have a reason to tell my mom to just throw them out! (Not really going to throw out) great job at the essay! Good information on the chicks! I will definitely be looking forward to trying these things ?!

Great article! Very great idea!!! My chicks live in an indoor pen so I don't have to reach in and scare them, instead I open the gate! In 3 weeks they are moving out. They grow up so fast!!!

This makes so much sense!

Your chicks look do cut beside the window... thanks for the information ..made it really Clear

Wonderful, I think I might put a twist on this approach but it really makes sense.

Really informative, I’m interesting in doing something similar this spring.

Very good article! I have alway done brooding inside but this has changed my mind. I think I'll start doing it outside! Thank you!

This is a great article!
My first chicks were in their indoor brooder (a cardboard box) for four weeks). They graduated to a crate for a few more weeks until the coop was done.
My second chicks spent two weeks in the box, and were in a cage until four weeks. Then I put them in their own run inside the big run for three weeks.
I let them out a few days ago and all is well. No more squabbles than normal among chickens.
For my next chicks, I think I will be using this new method. It’s really more “natural”.

Thank you for the great information. We started the new chicks outside in the pen but sectioned off with chicken wire from the flock. So adult hens and chicks see each other. We will try to let the chicks out to play with the the flock.

Love this. I did something similar when I added 2 baby ducks to my flock. It worked out very well. Although I have a much smaller run than this I was able to section off a corner for the babies and they grew up in full view of the grown birds. I did still use a heat lamp instead of a heating pad. Made it much easier to add them to the flock when the time came.

I have been doing all of these things forever! So glad someone finally wrote about it and supports it as I have always been critiqued on the way I raised the few chicks I've had. I love the solid evidence and why it helps. I have always had close bonds with my chickens and this explains why they are so tame and happy. Amazing article and I hope you inspire many people to improve their ways.

I loved this article, and I'm going to try this with my chicks that are hatching today!!

Great new perspective! An interesting idea.

Great article! It explains the benefits of raising your chicks in close proximity of other chickens and integrating them with the adults

I went the classic route with my current first batch of chicks, brooder in the house with the lamp. After talking to friends and reading here, I will definitely be brooding chicks outside for any future batches. This is a great article that outlines the advantages.