Can I start free ranging my 12 week old chickens?

[Willow's Meadow]

Or are they to young? What age did you start free ranging your chickens? My are in their coop at night and outside in their fenced in run during the day. But I want to start free ranging them....like no fence.

 

[speckledhen]

My chicks with broody hens are out the first week of life. Otherwise, I usually start when mine are 12-14 weeks old, with us outside watching.

 

[PunkinPeep]

In my opinion, it's not so much a matter of age but of safety. There is no age that is too young to free range, exactly, but if there are predators around that will hurt them when they're small, then you need to wait until they're older. I expect it also depends a lot on how your property is set up.

For me, i used to free range my chicks starting at 3 weeks or so (unless they were with their broody hen like SP said). But then my dog got some motherly instincts that call her to "bathe" peeping chicks, which often kills them. So now, i have to wait until they grow bigger, or isolate my dog while the chicks run.

 

[spottedtail]

They are old enough, but all free rangers should expect losses.

spot

 

[33yardbirds]

Ours were out at 12 wks with supervision, at 16 they were on their own. No problems until 22 wks when a hawk tried but missed.

 

[chickfamilyonsleepyhollow]

Lots of predators love baby chicks so we watched over them anytime they were out of their run until they were 14 weeks old

 

[justtoni44]

Hi,
I am with the rest.they are so open to preditors with out a mom or rooster to watch out for them.even domestic cats are a threat at this age.

 

[cheri222]

We started free ranging ours at 8 weeks. Our yard is fenced and we only do it when we are at home. No issues yet and they are going on 12 weeks. Sometimes they are butt heads when its time to go in. There are 5 girls and 1 roo. We just added the roo and no problems.

 

[gritsar]

My chicks are out "free ranging" in the fenced yard at 2 weeks, with me always there to supervise. I provide less and less supervision as they get older. My younger flock is now 13 weeks old. I check on them about once an hour. They stay inside the fenced yard for the most part, except for short and fast excursions outside the fence.
My adult flock free ranges all day, locked in their coop at night.