Can I let my chickens out while coop training them?

[cam057]

I've read on here that you're supposed to keep the chickens in the coop for a week so that they know what is home. It's a beautiful week outside and I was wondering if I could let them out during the day and put them back in the coop at night.

 

[TaylorEggMan]

I just added four new hens. I kept them in the coop for about three days then let them out to free range. When it was time for them to go back in the chicken house, a drove them back in and they were good to go. This process is much easier if you have a few older, well-trained hens that have lived in the coop for a while to provide them an example.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

You can do whatever you like - they are your birds

There are 101 ways to do everything when it comes to chickens and while some may prefer the 100% lockdown approach, there is nothing wrong with taking advantage of some good weather - many people don't even do the lock-in and just let them in/out from the day they move out there.

How old are yoru birds and are you letting htem "out" to free range or into an enclosed area?

 

[TaylorEggMan]

And there are many factors to consider before letting them loose. Do you have dogs or cats? Do you have known predators in your area like hawks? Are you going to leave them unattended? Whenever I get some new girls and let them out, I monitor them for an hour or two. Some chickens are really independent and will kind of wander off. Others will hang close near the coop and are more cautious. Of course, as they grow more comfortable with their new surroundings, this will change.

 

[cam057]

My chickens are 8 weeks old. I have a 6x8 foot run for them since there are predators around.

 

[Den in Penn]

By all means you can open the coop and leave them in the protected run for a few days at that age. Might have to put them back into the coop manually for a few days, but that's to be expected.

 

[cam057]

Thanks for all the replys! I let them out today and they seemed very happy