Can I free range 3.5 month olds?

[capesquad]

Quote:
How do your cat and your month old chicks get along?? i have 4 8 week olds (2 buff orpingtons, 2 rhode island reds) that i put out in the coop over night for the first time a couple nights ago-- it has an enclosed pen below the coop that the chicks can scrounge around in, taking dirt baths, eat grass, bugs, etc. - but i'm afraid to let them free range yet with my neighbors cat so intrigued with them. I'm hoping when they are bigger the cat will lose interest in eating them and i can let them wander in my yard/garden.

anyone else have cats who stare at their chicks? : )

 

[tampitt]

Quote:
How do your cat and your month old chicks get along?? i have 4 8 week olds (2 buff orpingtons, 2 rhode island reds) that i put out in the coop over night for the first time a couple nights ago-- it has an enclosed pen below the coop that the chicks can scrounge around in, taking dirt baths, eat grass, bugs, etc. - but i'm afraid to let them free range yet with my neighbors cat so intrigued with them. I'm hoping when they are bigger the cat will lose interest in eating them and i can let them wander in my yard/garden.

anyone else have cats who stare at their chicks? : )

Smokey really doesn't even play them attention anymore when they were in the brooder. I'm hoping the neighborhood cat doesn't bother them.

 

[verlaj]

Is anyone particularly concerned about hawks getting the young birds? I have been waiting to let my 6 to 8 week old chicks out until late in the afternoon when the hawk activity has subsided. Any thoughts about that? The chicks would love to be out earlier in the day.

 

[Icrazyaboutu]

They should be fine. My baby chicks started free ranging at three days old. They just followed their mama right out of the coop!

 

[Icrazyaboutu]

Quote:
Keep a close eye for hawks. They have taken two young chicks from my hens before. Also when it is getting late look out for owls. An owl took one of my 2 month old chicks.

 

[verlaj]

I have 9 6 wk-olds with their (foster) mom and 31 7-8 wk olds by mail-order. I have more concern about the mail order chicks - they are not as savvy as the ones with the hen. When the hen gives the "head for cover and freeze!" call (a low growl), all 9 of her babies do just that INSTANTLY! I wish my kids had been so obedient!

 

[TeriNick50]

capesquad: "anyone else have cats who stare at their chicks?"

We've had a stray cat hanging around since the day our chicks arrived 4 weeks ago. It's a friendly cat - well behaved - loveable - and doesn't pay too much attention to our chicks that are safe in their run.

We want to let the chicks roam the yard, however; I don't trust the cat. She's already brought two dead chipmunks to the backdoor!

Would love to hear about your experience with cats.

Thanks!

 

[capesquad]

Hi Terri-

i've decided to wait till the girls are a bit older (bigger) although the cats already seem to have grown used to them (they no longer stare in the run in fascination.) The chicks are about 9 weeks now-- i think another month i'll give it a VERY supervised try- as in ME, the cats (there are 2 next door) and the chicks and my dog who loves both the chicks and the cats.

we'll see....

 

[JoAnn_WI_4-H_Mom]

We have our young birds in an electronetted pasture. The younger cat is now very curious, but respects the fence. Likewise the cockerals are on the other side and very aware and watchful of the cat. I still think the cat would win a fight, so we are keeping the birds in the protected pasture.

We have hawks circling the pen regularly, and the chickens head for the raspberry bed, which is within the pasture. We have run 2 inch wide yellow plastic "Caution" tape from the tops of the fence posts criss-crossing the pasture, which also seens to keep them away. The hawks make me pretty nervous.

We shut the birds in a shelter overnight to protect against owls.

Good luck with your birds!

 

[debbie.h]

I let the mamas take their babies out with them and they go outside the coop at about THREE DAYS old. The other hens tend to leave mama and babies alone.