When to start free ranging chickens and ducks

[ChickNgal96]

How old until they are ready to be free ranging? How do you catch them when you are ready to put them up at night? I am scared to let them out and not be able to get them back in.

 

[Chelseyb123]

I put my chicks out at about q month old with the rest of my older flock an they know when to go in once it starts to get darkk since they can't see. They want to go to a safe place. Not sure if that's the same with ducks.

 

[ChickNgal96]

Mine are almost 2 months and I don’t have any others besides these

 

[aart]

I don't free range so not sure what age is best,
and not sure about ducks but with chickens....

You can start them free ranging for the first time late in the day,
30-60 minutes before they normally go to roost.
They won't go too far at first and you'll see that they get back to the coop to roost.
Subsequent days let them out a bit earlier, and so on and so on.

 

[TheTwoRoos]

I start free ranging at a few days ,supervised though.By their atleast two months I’m usually ok leaving them alone but not more then a few hours.All my birds are taught to come in at a specific time and to a specific call,so your gonna try to either bribe them with feed or catch them with your hands at a specific time you want them to go up,they will get in a routine.

 

[ChickNgal96]

Okay thanks everyone. I have been letting them out each day in a small pen outside so that get used to it. Just trying to find the courage to let them free without a barrier or fence.

 

[Northern.Ontario]

My 94 cornish cross will soon be on a "limited" free range within the confines of their electric poultry net fencing. They will be 5 weeks old and nearly fully feathered then.

 

[RWise]

I put my little ones out to free range at 5 weeks old, but only because there are cats about. If not for the cats I would have them out sooner. IF they have a moma over them they are out in the flock at 2-3 days old.
At 5 weeks old they are going to the roost on their own, all I need to do is close they door after they all go in.
I also feed only just before bed time,, err roost time for them, toss out some grain near the coop, and off to roost with a full craw,,,