Mine don't like worms but they love crickets and even mealworms but not earthworms.
I too think the wire floor keeps things cleaner.
Yes, I start freeranging (meaning "no fences") as soon as the weather is warm - sometimes at 2 weeks old. I have 200+ chickens and ducks and peacocks plus 6 dogs and 2 cats and everyone has the full run of the farm and no one bothers anyone else. I've never lost a chick to freeranging. I normally start by just dropping the sides of the Chick-N-Hutch and leaving it open with their light still on (for maybe a week). That way they can venture out when they are ready and back in when they want heat (kind of like an artifcial mama). Just like the big chickens, they come back at dark and get back in their hutch which is located inside the main hen house/coop. Of course, once it's really hot I leave the light out or they and the coop can overheat. They don't need added heat when it's already 80 degrees outside.
Once I have a new batch of chicks that need the hutch, the older chicks just camp out under it or pick their own spot in the coop. Each batch of chicks tends to stick together for the rest of their lives.
