How to Manage Growing Chickens

You may have a good start on knowing how to raise baby chicks, and you probably already have a plan for when those chicks are mature, but what about while they are growing? Learning how to manage growing chickens is important for the health and well being of your future flock! While daily care may not change too much once those young chicks outgrow their brooder, you should know how to manage them as they grow, develop stronger muscles, learn instinctual behaviors, and continually get bigger and need more space. I’ve managed to nail down a few tips that I implement as I raise and care for growing chickens to add to my homestead flock! 

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Where to Start

So what exactly do I mean by growing chickens? And what should you be doing prior to needing to know how to manage growing chickens? 

For the purpose of clarity, I want to define what I mean by growing chickens. Basically, these care tips will help you manage your chicks after they no longer need continual supplemental heat. This is usually when they are over 4-5 weeks old. They may still need some supplemental heat, but this will depend on your region and their rate of growth.

At this point, your chicks may have almost finished growing in their first set of juvenile feathers. They may also be rapidly outgrowing their brooder! By this time, you have set up a functional and safe brooder, avoiding items that are dangerous for baby chicks. You should know what your chicks should be eating throughout their different life stages. You should also have a basic understanding of what it takes to keep your babies healthy, naturally. Now it all comes down to managing those quickly growing rascals! Here are a few topics we’ll cover to hopefully answer some of your growing chicken management questions:

• when supplemental heat can be weaned off
• when the young chickens can be moved to outside living quarters
• how to construct grow-out pens, both inside and outside
• growth milestone markers to watch for
• when you can integrate the young chickens into an existing flock OR
• how to introduce the young chickens to their permanent home (the coop)

When Do They No Longer Need Heat?

One of the most frequently asked questions about growing chickens is when the young birds no longer need supplemental heat. In order to answer that question, first you must understand why baby chicks need supplemental heat in the first place.

A baby chick is covered in soft down feathers. These feathers are not insulating and the chick does not have the ability to regulate its own body temperature. A warm brooder is essential for keeping the chick’s body temperature at the right level. A radiant heater or a heat lamp are the two most common ways to provide heat in the brooder. When the young chickens can be weaned off the supplemental heater will depend on how fast they mature and what the environmental temperatures are like. 

• maturity– the faster the chicks grow in their juvenile feathers, the sooner they will no longer need supplemental heat
• environment temperature– warm and temperate temperatures will allow the young chickens to be weaned off heat sooner

The general rule is to decrease the brooder temperature by 5 degrees each week until the environmental temperature is reached. However, the decrease in temperature should really be based off of the maturity rate of the chicks and their behaviors. Making decreases in the temperature can also get trickier if you have to move the growing chickens into a grow-out pen or a different environment. 

When decreasing brooder temperature, always watch the chick’s behaviors and make any changes gradually. The young chickens no longer need supplemental heat when 1.) they have grown in their first set of juvenile feathers and 2.) the external temperatures stay moderate. I generally recommend external temperatures that stay above 55°F. These two guidelines should be considered no matter where the young chickens are housed. 

When Can They Live Outside?

After knowing when your young chickens can be weaned off the supplemental heat, the next question that pops up is when can the young chickens be moved outside. From the time the chicks are a day old, they can be taken on short forays outside when the weather permits. For most regions, the young chickens should be weaned off of supplemental heat before being moved permanently to outdoor living quarters. Providing supplemental heat gets trickier, and can be more dangerous, once the young chickens are moved to an outdoor pen.

Basically, once the young chickens no longer need supplemental heat, they can be moved outdoors. However, you should still keep in mind that the young chickens will go through at least 2 more mini molts before they grow in their final set of feathers for adulthood. During these molts they will have varying degrees of feather loss and should not have to deal with cold temperatures. Again, an outdoor temperature that stays above 55°F is ideal for moving fully feathered young birds permanently outside. Keep an eye on nightly temperatures to ensure they don’t dip too low. Always watch your young chickens’ behaviors too to monitor if they are comfortable or not.

As a quick note, the region that you live in will determine when you can move your young chickens outside, as will the season. Regions that stay warm on a regular basis or experience warmer temperatures sooner in the year are more favorable to moving young chickens outside sooner. For cold region homesteaders, those young chickens will need to stay inside for a little longer. Also keep in mind precipitation, humidity, and wind chill before moving young chickens permanently outside. 

How to Build a Grow-Out Pen

Grow-out pens are the housing that you will move your growing chicks into once they outgrow their brooder. The age at which you move your chicks to a grow-out pen will depend on how many chicks you are raising, the rate of their growth, and the size of your initial brooder. It is okay if your brooder is small and the chicks quickly out grow it. The brooder is meant to be cozy and not overwhelming for the chicks. In general, the brooder is meant for housing the chicks up until they are about 3-4 weeks old. After that, you can either convert the brooder into a grow-out pen or build a separate grow-out pen for the chicks to be moved to.

Since chickens grow so quickly, their space needs rapidly increase too! Allowing the growing chickens plenty of space is the main reason why you should move them to a grow-out pen. Depending on your space limitations and the weather, you may end up moving the growing chickens into multiple grow-out pens as they mature.

Remember, when making any kind of housing change for your growing chickens, give them time to adjust to their new surroundings. Even though all the same elements may be there, any new layout will require some adjustment time for the young chickens to become comfortable with their new housing.

There are a couple of ways you can set up grow-out pens. You can build an indoor grow-out pen (much like a glorified brooder), an outdoor grow-out pen, a combination of indoor and outdoor grow-out pens, or a grow-out coop.

Indoor Grow-Out Pen

An indoor grow-out pen would basically be like a glorified brooder. Some brooder styles make it easy for you expand the brooder as the chicks grow. Other times you have to build a different pen to use as the grow-out pen once the chicks out-grow their brooder.

Indoor grow-out pens are for when the chicks have outgrown their brooder but they still need some supplemental heat and they can’t handle wide temperature fluctuations. Having the grow-out pen in a temperate location indoors is more appropriate for the fast growing but still young chicks. Providing supplemental heat is also easier when the grow-out pen is in an indoor location.

Unlike a brooder, an indoor grow-out pen doesn’t have to have solid walls. It can be surrounded in hardwire cloth or even chicken wire if the indoor location is predator-proof and safe. Just like with brooders and chicken coops, grow-out pens can come in all shapes and sizes. Here are some guidelines for building an indoor grow-out pen.

Indoor Grow-Out Pen Tips:

• Size- Consider how long you will be keeping the growing chickens in the grow-out pen and plan the size accordingly. Allow 1 square foot of space per 8 week old chick. Increasing the space if they are staying in the grow-out pen until they are older.
• Construction- The pen should have sides, a cover, and flooring.
• Material- Wood and hardware cloth make the best materials for building a grow-out pen. Lining the floor with linoleum makes the floor last longer if it gets damp from wet litter.
• Accessibility- The cover should be openable and closeable to make cleaning easier. It also should be easy for you to access the interior of the grow-out pen. Alternatively, design a door into one of the sides that allows you access to the interior of the grow-out pen.
• Height– Indoor grow-out pens don’t have to be tall. Make the pen high enough to be comfortable for the chickens but short enough that you can easily reach the bottom of the pen by bending over the sides. I recommend a height of about 30-36 inches.
• Movable- An indoor grow-out pen doesn’t have to be movable. However, it does come in handy for bringing the pen outside on warm days or for moving the pen to a different indoor location. Make the grow-out pen similar to a chicken tractor and/or install wheels on the grow-out pen.
• Amenities- Make sure you plan a spot for the feeder, waterer, and any perches that you plan on adding to the grow-out pen.

Outdoor Grow-Out Pen

An outdoor grow-out pen is helpful for when the chicks have outgrown their brooder but can’t be moved into a chicken coop or integrated with an existing flock yet. An outdoor grow-out pen may also be helpful if the young chickens out-grow an indoor grow-out pen. You can also have an outdoor grow-out pen that you put the young chickens in during the day. Then bring them in to an indoor grow-out pen for the night.

Outdoor grow-out pens are nice for growing chickens who no longer need supplemental heat. They are also nice to have if you want to get the young birds outside as much as possible but they still need to stay indoors during the nights. Depending on how you plan to use the outdoor grow-out pen will depend on how you construct it. Some outdoor grow-out pens can literally function as a pen or enclosure. Others should function more like a mini coop.

If the growing chickens are just spending their days in the outdoor grow-out pen, then they just need an enclosed space. That space should also provide some shelter and be predator proof. If the growing chickens are being moved outside, then you will want to construct more of a grow-out coop.

Check out Chicken Coop Building Essentials and Predator Proofing the Chicken Coop for more tips on creating a safe grow-out coop for your growing chickens!

Outdoor Grow-Out Pen Tips:

• Size- The pen should be as big as you can make it! Ideally allow for 3-4 square feet of space per 12 week old chicken.
• Construction- The pen should have sides and a cover. At least part of the cover should provide protection from weather and precipitation. The ground should be solid, well-draining, and safe.
• Material- Any manor of materials can be used as long as they are predator proof and weather resilient. Quarter inch hardware cloth is the most predator proof, but galvanized fencing and dog kennels can also be used. Lattice, netting, pallets, and boards can all make up various aspects of a grow-out pen.
• Accessibility- The grow-out pen should have a door that allows you access to the interior of the pen. I recommend a full size door so that it is easier for you enter and exit the pen.
• Height– I highly recommend you make the grow-out pen tall enough to accommodate you standing up within the pen. This will make accessing the pen, managing the chickens, and cleaning so much easier!
• Movable- While the outdoor grow-out pen doesn’t have to be movable, it does come in handy for moving the pen to different outdoor locations. Think along the lines of a chicken tractor.
• Amenities- Make sure you plan a spot for the feeder, waterer, and any perches that you plan on adding to the grow-out pen. The feeder should be in a sheltered spot where it can’t get wet from precipitation.
• Predator Proof- An outdoor grow-out pen MUST be predator proof! Use predator proof fencing, cover the enclosure with predator proof material, ensure there are no gaps around the base, and make sure any doors secure tightly.

Outdoor Grow-Out Coop Tips:

• Size- The actual coop portion should allow for 1-2 square feet of space per 12 week old chicken. The enclosure attached to the coop should allow 3-4 square feet per 12 week old chicken.
• Construction- The coop should have sides, a roof, flooring, a chicken door, and a full size door. The roof should be weather proof and predator proof. The flooring should be solid and covered with a 4″ thick layer of litter.
• Material- A coop built using wood materials will be both predator proof and weather resistant. Use hardware cloth to cover any windows. Use predator proof fencing for the enclosure.
• Accessibility- The grow-out coop should have a door that allows you access to the interior of the coop. It should also have a chicken door that allows the young chickens access to the enclosure.
• Height– I highly recommend you make the grow-out coop tall enough to accommodate you standing up within the coop. The same goes for the enclosure. This will make accessing the coop, managing the chickens, and cleaning so much easier!
• Movable- An outdoor grow-out coop does not have to be movable. However, if you are raising a small flock of chickens, a movable chicken tractor grow-out coop may be practical.
• Amenities- Make sure you plan a spot for the feeder, waterer, and roosts within the coop. The feeder can be kept in the enclosure during the day as long as it is sheltered from any precipitation. The waterer can also be kept in the enclosure.
• Predator Proof- An outdoor grow-out coop MUST be predator proof! Use predator proof building material, cover the enclosure with predator proof fencing, ensure there are no gaps around the base, and make sure any doors secure tightly.

Milestone Markers

As you manage your growing chickens, you should also be aware of the milestones that indicate healthy, proper growth. These milestones either naturally occur, such as instinctual behaviors, or they may be management milestones that you are responsible for implementing. Here are some important milestones to be aware of:

4-5 Weeks of Age

• The chicks can be weaned off the supplemental heat. However, they may still need it on occasion when the temperatures dip low.
• More than likely the chicks will have outgrown their brooder. The brooder can expanded or they can be moved to a grow-out pen.
• You may be able to see some characteristic male and female traits if you are raising a mixed brood.
• Provide a dust bath spot as well as perches for the growing chicks to enjoy.
• Outside excursions can be frequent and for longer periods of time. However, the chicks are probably not quite ready to be moved permanently outside.

6-7 Weeks of Age

• The young chickens will have almost finished growing in their first set of juvenile feathers.
• Supplemental heat will no longer be needed.
• The chickens may be able to be moved to outdoor housing if the temperatures in your area stay moderate during both the day and night.
• Noticeable behaviors: sparing, tidbitting, alarm clucks, dust bathing, sun bathing, crowing
• You will be able to distinguish cockerels from pullets based on behaviors, feathering, and possibly size.

8-20 Weeks of Age

• The young chickens can be moved to outdoor housing.
• Supervised free-range can begin if you haven’t already done so!
• Apply external parasite preventative to keep the young chickens parasite free.
• By 15 weeks of age the young chickens may be big enough to be integrated into an existing flock.
• If you do not have a flock to integrate the growing chickens into, then the young chickens can be moved from the grow-out pen to a coop as soon as 12 weeks of age.
• At 20 weeks of age, young pullets should be switched to a layer feed.

Remember, the rate at which your young chickens grow will play a role in when all these milestones are reached. Breed, environment, care, and health will all influence the growth rate of your young chickens. More chick growth milestones and proper care tips can be found in this Chick Growth Guide (plus plenty of pictures)!

Introducing or Integrating

After your growing chickens out grow their grow-out pen, it will be time to move them to their permanent living quarters! If you already have an existing flock, then you will need to think about integrating the young chickens in with the older chickens. If you are raising your first flock, then you will need to think about introducing them to their new coop! When each of these milestones occur will depend on your situation.

Coop Introduction

Introducing your growing chickens to their coop can be exciting for us but scary for them! The young chickens can be moved out to their new coop as soon as they no longer need supplemental heat and the temperatures are staying moderate (above 55°F). This can occur as soon as the chicks are 6 weeks of age or be prolonged up until they reach 20 weeks of age.

Once the chicks outgrow their brooder, you may need to move them to an indoor grow-out pen before introducing them to their coop. An outdoor grow-out pen can be used, but it’s just more practical to move the growing chickens into their coop rather than having to construct another outdoor grow-out pen.

So, once your young chickens are ready to be moved outside, here’s how you should go about introducing them to their coop!

• Allow the young chickens to explore their coop and enclosure for 2-3 days prior to keeping them out in the coop all night.
• Encourage the young chickens to become comfortable with their new surroundings by sprinkling some enticing treats in the coop and enclosure.
• Once the young chickens are moving freely to and from the coop, you can leave them out there for their first night!
• The first night you will have to help all the young chickens into the coop and close the chicken door behind them. This will be a nightly chore until the chickens become coop-trained and go in on their own will.
• For the first night, the young chickens may not use the roosts you provide them, that’s okay. After that though, you may have to place them up on the roosts until they get the hang of the instinctual behavior of roosting at night.

Flock Integration

If you already have an existing flock, then you will have to plan on integrating the young chickens with the older flock as soon as the young chickens are ready. For this situation, indoor and outdoor grow-out pens should be used during the period of time when the chicks outgrow their brooder but aren’t old enough to be integrated yet.

The age at which you can integrate the young chickens into the older flock will depend on their growth rate and the older flock’s average size. You want the young chickens to be roughly the same size as the smallest member of your current flock. In general, it is best to wait until the young chickens are 18-20 weeks of age. At that age, the young chickens can be switched over to a layer feed, which is probably what your older flock is consuming. However, you can introduce the young chickens as early as 15-16 weeks of age depending on how quickly they are maturing.

If you are using an outdoor grow-out pen, it is helpful to position the pen close to the existing flock. That way the two flocks can see each other and possibly interact through the fencing without harming each other. This will make integration go a lot smoother once the time comes!

When your growing chickens are ready to be integrated into your existing flock, follow the guidelines outlined in Integrating New Chickens to an Established Flock.

They Grow So Fast!

If there’s one thing you should know about managing growing chickens, its that they grow fast! One day they are cute cheeping fluff balls in a cozy brooder… the next day they are partially feathered birds ready to stretch their wings and their legs! Managing growing chickens is all part of the chick raising experience! Knowing when supplemental heat is no longer needed and when the young chickens can be moved outside are two very important milestones in your young chickens’ growth. But before they can be moved outside, a few grow-out pens may be in order! Keep up with your growing chickens by allowing them plenty of space to mature into happy, healthy adult chickens! The time will come soon enough when they can be moved into their outdoor coop or be integrated with an existing flock!

Pretty soon you will have a full-grown flock of homestead chickens on your hands, so now what? Make sure you get our weekly homestead poultry tips to help you raise your chickens like a modern pioneer by signing up for our weekly newsletter!

by Alexa