At what age can my chicks free range with the big girls?

[newchickmomma4]

I have 4 2 year olds and 4 6 1/2 week pullets. I have been letting the little girls (aka the tributes as my kids call them.....yes, a reference from The Hunger Games) go out into the yard in an xpen that my dogs don't use, but I'm wondering if it is ok to let them completely free range in our fenced in back yard with the ladies and should I clip their wings first so they can't fly out of the yard? Also, how instinctive are they at this age for either being "herded" back to their pen or returning on their own?

 

[lazy gardener]

I would start by letting the littles out for some supervised free range time. Be sure to do it when they are a bit hungry so you can lure them back inside with treats. How much risk are you willing to accept from hawks and other predators? Your littles will be at much greater risk due to their size and lack of experience in the world of predators. After a week or 2 of mingling in your yard with your bigs, the pecking order should be pretty much worked out so you can do some supervised mingling in your run if you have it. My chicks are 2 months old, and have learned their place with the big girls. (when a big girl comes near, they scatter) of course, i have 28 littles and 5 bigs.

 

[newchickmomma4]

I would start by letting the littles out for some supervised free range time.  Be sure to do it when they are a bit hungry so you can lure them back inside with treats.  How much risk are you willing to accept from hawks and other predators?  Your littles will be at much greater risk due to their size and lack of experience in the world of predators.  After a week or 2 of mingling in your yard with your bigs, the pecking order should be pretty much worked out so you can do some supervised mingling in your run if you have it.  My chicks are 2 months old, and have learned their place with the big girls.  (when a big girl comes near, they scatter)  of course, i have 28 littles and 5 bigs.

Should I clip the littles wings before letting them free range? And we ONLY do supervised free range time here because of cats (they don't generally come into the yard because of our dogs, but I don't want to be sorry), owls and the occasional hawk. So that is not a worry. I am concerned about getting the ladies back into their grow out pen (which is located next to the big girls run).