Chicken help

[Ofchickens100]

I am new to chickens this is my first flock. I have a 10x10 run with a pretty big coop and at what age should I let them be free range. I have 3 acres of land for them to have when they are old enough so I was wondering at what age should I let them out of the run. I have tought them to come to the word chickens. Please help I am still getting a hard of chickens.

 

[DobieLover]

I am new to chickens this is my first flock. I have a 10x10 run with a pretty big coop and at what age should I let them be free range. I have 3 acres of land for them to have when they are old enough so I was wondering at what age should I let them out of the run. I have tought them to come to the word chickens. Please help I am still getting a hard of chickens.

I started my first flock free ranging at 6 weeks old.
I started by letting them out of the run about 1 hour before roost time each day then gradually let them out earlier and earlier as they grew.

 

[Mrs. K]

The chances of loosing birds is very real, when you free range. I too, would start out just a bit before dark. It is helpful to have them trained to come running toward you, when you shake a treat can if you want to get them in before dark. At first they will stay quite close to the coop, but the more you let them out, the farther they will go.

I do have a few 'rules' on free ranging to decrease your daytime predation.

• Do not let them out for at the same time each day. Predators figure out routines
• Somedays, do not let them out at all
  • if it is cloudy or very windy - gives advantage to the predators
  • if you have been hit by a predator - once they find you, they will be back.
• A good year old rooster - is very helpful in daytime - but not all roosters are good, and you would not want one until your girls are laying
• If they get to straying too far away - keep them locked up for a while

Mrs K