Confining chickens

[crooked stripe]

I have a Buff Orp that hatched 7 bantam chicks. The chicks are 3 weeks now and have been free ranging with mom since 1 week. Today one of the chicks has disappeared. I noticed the chicks are on the other side of the neighbors chain link fence sitting on the branches of the bushes. I have no idea what happened to the one chick, can't find it anywhere. Would it hurt the mom and chicks to be kept in the 2x3x8' cage they where hatched in? When it gets real cold I am thinking of letting the have access to the coop. Should I plan on enclosing the cage and insulate it? The coop is insulated. What do you all think? John

 

[FloridaChickenChick]

I'd say contain them to the cage and coop if possible until they're too big to walk through the chain link fence at will.

Chickens are certainly escape artists. I have a golden wyandotte who has somehow been on the outside of the run THREE times today. She doesn't even really want out, because she stays right up next to the fencing calling to the other chickens. She gets lonely, I guess. My little adventurer. Ah, well...well behaved women rarely make history so perhaps she will end up famous.