flying chicks

[cliff keen]

how long does it take from chick to being able to fly ? I've got chicks that i think are 3 weeks old and can fly is that about right or what's normal age ?

 

[Krazikatlady64]

Mine are starting to get their feathers. Mixed breeds so they are maturing at different rates. They are going into week 3 and 3 of them fly well. All the others are testing their wings and fly/hopping. I think that's great. I have 8 chicks.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I've seen a broody hen get her 2 week old chicks to fly up to my roosts. They'd fly up to the top of my nests, maybe 2' high, then fly 2 feet higher and three feet horizontal to get to the roosts. From watching them it was obvious they could have gone further if they wanted to.

A lot of their behavior is not about whether they can or cannot do it, it's about whether they want to.

 

[centrarchid]

Flight ability is a function of breed and motivation. My American Dominiques can muster 2' by 2 weeks post-hatch. The American Games can do close to 4' when startled with a 20' horizontal range. Range gets a lot better over subsequent days. I have had three week old games that would launch from ground to fly 30 feet horizontally over fescue to land in my hand. We are not even talking about clambering.