- Mar 3, 2011
- 5
- 0
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Our 12 chicks, which we've raised since a day old, are now three months old.
My husband and I are raising them on nearly two acres on Maui, which has a good year-round climate and fewer predators in our area. They are in a good-sized coop with a 6x6x10 foot fence attached so they can hang out outside during the day.
We are wondering if we should let them start free range outside the coop, even though they are three months away from egg laying age.
Some advise us to keep them in the coop until they start laying eggs, so we're not hunting eggs down around the property.
But they're already the size of feral chickens and, again, the area is safe. They seem to be getting antsy, as are we, and I'm wondering if we should chance it and let them hang out outside. But to be safe, and to ensure egg-laying in a consistent spot, maybe we should keep them in the coop until after they start laying?
Any advice is appreciated!
My husband and I are raising them on nearly two acres on Maui, which has a good year-round climate and fewer predators in our area. They are in a good-sized coop with a 6x6x10 foot fence attached so they can hang out outside during the day.
We are wondering if we should let them start free range outside the coop, even though they are three months away from egg laying age.
Some advise us to keep them in the coop until they start laying eggs, so we're not hunting eggs down around the property.
But they're already the size of feral chickens and, again, the area is safe. They seem to be getting antsy, as are we, and I'm wondering if we should chance it and let them hang out outside. But to be safe, and to ensure egg-laying in a consistent spot, maybe we should keep them in the coop until after they start laying?
Any advice is appreciated!