I have twenty young chanteclers that are now 2 weeks old. I also have 7 orpingtons that are about a month old. I am putting the orpingtons out in part of my coop tomorrow. They are separate from the flock with no outside access in about a three by ten foot compartment. My thought was to let them get used to the flock until they are large enough to be released into them.
Problem is I am going away for four days next week and was wondering if it would be safe to put the twenty chanteclers in the coop with the young orpingtons. They are kind of young and small and not as rambunctious as the 8 orpingtons but they have numbers on their side.
It would be so much easier for my house-sitter if the 28 birds were outside. She will still have hatch-lings and eggs to watch inside.
I have them pretty much used to room temp now, they still have a heat lamp but it is about 16 inches up and they don't really spend much time under it except when they sleep.
Do you think they would be OK outside so young? It is a well insulated coop with no drafts.
Problem is I am going away for four days next week and was wondering if it would be safe to put the twenty chanteclers in the coop with the young orpingtons. They are kind of young and small and not as rambunctious as the 8 orpingtons but they have numbers on their side.
It would be so much easier for my house-sitter if the 28 birds were outside. She will still have hatch-lings and eggs to watch inside.
I have them pretty much used to room temp now, they still have a heat lamp but it is about 16 inches up and they don't really spend much time under it except when they sleep.
Do you think they would be OK outside so young? It is a well insulated coop with no drafts.
