free range chicks

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Cluck Hammok...Very Nice.
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I let the girls out for the first time, just opened the kennel door and let them go, they were scared and it was tough for them to come out of the box, but they finally did and had a blast..here's a few pics, the rest will be in my photo file

Sammi and Martha (Black Stars) test a maple seed



Betsy struts her stuff (RIR)


Funky may looks on curiously (Barred Rock)


Betsy and Martha (RIR & Black Star) investigate
 
I'd offer them somewhere to run away, a box anything, when I let mine out I was right there and a motorcycle went by and they all jumped in my lap. I would never let them out alone free range
 
Here are some pics of mine free ranging. I don't supervise. They are 11 weeks old now and I even leave them out while I go to town or store. (we're 25 minuted from the closest store)



 
I'm really torn. My husband is set on turning them lose in the backyard all day while we're at work. I'm starting to question it, but I'm naturally more cautious than he is.

They're only two weeks old so we have time to hash it out.
 
I let me girls out all the time. Only close them up at night. I did this from about 10 weeks. The great food they get from being free range is wonderful for them, I do, however, respect the predator issue. I have 3 large dogs, contained by invisible fence from the girls but a hawk won't know the dog boundries I guess. My girls are 6 months now and had more issues recently then when they were young. Don't know what it was but all resolved now for some reason. I truly think it was the roos attacking my girls. I led the roos to the long road in our woods. . :)
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KFaye said:
I let me girls out all the time. Only close them up at night. I did this from about 10 weeks. The great food they get from being free range is wonderful for them, I do, however, respect the predator issue. I have 3 large dogs, contained by invisible fence from the girls but a hawk won't know the dog boundries I guess. My girls are 6 months now and had more issues recently then when they were young. Don't know what it was but all resolved now for some reason. I truly think it was the roos attacking my girls. I led the roos to the long road in our woods. . :)
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Click to expand...

This is our situation too! The chicks free range all day long from about 8am to dusk when they put themselves to bed. We also have a dog in an invisible fence and he just hangs out with the chicks. I never really thought about him being "protection" but that certainly could be the case. The chicks (now 11 weeks old) spend most of the time "under cover" - just scratching around under big bushes, shrubs and trees. When I am home and outside with them, they have a tendency to be a little more adventuresome! They've got about 4 acres to wander around and so far they've got 3 or 4 favorite spots and have only explored about 1/2 the space they have.
 
I have a remodeled shed with two runs attached..a larger one for the adults and a smaller one going out the other side for the juveniles. My adult birds...8 hens and a Roo are turned out to free range just for a few hours in the evenings ; usually from about 5 PM till 7:30 PM or so.. They pretty well stay in the yard and the gate to their pen stays open so they can come back inside whenever they are ready to.


I also have 8 juvenile pullets, 3 Speckled Sussex, 2 Gold Laced Wyandottes and 3 Rainbow layers...ranging from 8-9 weeks old...so about half grown.

When can I let the out to free range with the adults ? We are at the end of our rural subdivision road with brush/woods bordering our property. We have had problems with predators so are routinely trapping possums and keep an eye out for other predators.
 

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