flying

[quadcam79]

ok....another noob question...flying chicks. my new chicks about 5 days old are getting thier wing feathers ...(BTW it's funny watching them walk around doing the leg and wing stretch all the time) the BO's and Barred rocks are getting good at flapping and jumping to the top of the brooder (rubbermaid box) when will I have to worry about them flying? and what about when they are fully feathered..how high/far can they fly?

 

[unionwirewoman]

Not sure on when they will "fly" , but I have 3 BR's and have yet to see them fly . Mine are almost a year old . Hope this helps !

 

[hcammack]

my hens are so fat they Glide and hop over the ground but they can still probably get upto 4 feet if they were motavated. but chicks because they are light get up pretty easy so I put a cover on my brooder because when I woke up a found a chick under my bed LOL. my lighter breeds can fly better also like leghorns and campamines. so it all depends what breeds do you have?

Henry

 

[arlee453]

I saw my silver laced wyandotte (a heavy breed, not supposed to be a good flyer) fly about 6 feet up in the air and go about 60' just yesterday. She's full grown also - could easily clear a 4' fence.

I posted the same question here when I first got my chicks, as my plan was to let them roam my 4' chain link fenced yard during the day. I quickly discovered that they will clear a fence like that, even when full grown. I'm very glad I sectioned off a par of the yard for them and built a cover or they would be all over the neighborhood by now if they wanted to be, even though they are 'heavy' breeds that aren't supposed to be especially good flyers.

Hope this helps!

 

[quadcam79]

thanks for all the advice, I'll make sure I cover the run and the brooder just in case.

 

[kstaven]

It makes a difference on the breeding lines of the birds. Hatchery stock is often smaller and lighter than you would commonly see in show lines.