Free range chicks?

[Eric R]

So my chickens free range all day and a few of them have chicks. My question is what happens when they leave the chicks? Has anyone kept their chicks free range after momma leaves them? I figured its fine but wanted some feedback. We did have a few picked off by hawks when they were tiny chicks but now are almost a month old and much faster. Haven't lost any lately.

 

[annaBsChick]

I would worry about predators.

 

[Eric R]

Certainly. And I do but I think back to when my grandparents had chickens and I never saw chicks in a cage. They were either with mama or running around on their own groups of juveniles. I remember one time a large group of chicks almost all grew up to be roosters and thus went in the pot. But they were almost fully grown by that point and they were completely free range from hatch.

 

[Folly's place]

Mine are out with the flock, and especially the bantam juveniles are sometimes lost to hawks. They are still somewhat bonded with mama, and do learn proper behaviors faster than brooder raised chicks. Free ranging any chickens anywhere is risky, and will include losses from predation at times.
Mary

 

[Perris]

It is what will happen naturally if you don't intervene. I have two groups of juveniles running round now, one 8 wk one 10 wk; lost an 8 wk old presumably to a hawk 3 days ago (he/she just went missing, and I found magpie feathers on the lane under a good perch branch next day). The rest weren't spooked so I guess none of us witnessed it.

 

[chickens really]

Yes...If not too concerned about losses that's exactly how my Granny did it too..Totally up to you...

 

[Phoenixmaine81]

Certainly. And I do but I think back to when my grandparents had chickens and I never saw chicks in a cage. They were either with mama or running around on their own groups of juveniles. I remember one time a large group of chicks almost all grew up to be roosters and thus went in the pot. But they were almost fully grown by that point and they were completely free range from hatch.

I free free range mine they are so not restricted at all only closed safe in the coupe but they are now going on their own about half HR after sunset I don't have to gather n herd them as much ... with 12 chicks running around only six wks old there's so many head counts thru out the day but they don't go far n if they do my cat sends em back..my cat guards my chicks coupe at night..took on a coon n ran him off..no eggs for another 3-4 months but get him gone anyways

 

[Chickassan]

Yep, after mom leaves them they pretty much know what to do.
Even my brooder babies are out ranging by the time mom would have left.
They do fine too. If you watch chicks no matter broody or brooder raised they're preloaded with at least some sense of impending danger.

 

[Eric R]

Yeah. I may just put out some more cover for them and if I start to see more losses then may pen them up. Thanks all!

 

[Phoenixmaine81]

So my chickens free range all day and a few of them have chicks. My question is what happens when they leave the chicks? Has anyone kept their chicks free range after momma leaves them? I figured its fine but wanted some feedback. We did have a few picked off by hawks when they were tiny chicks but now are almost a month old and much faster. Haven't lost any lately.

Ok this is totally cross talk here but I homestead in northern Maine n u mentioned earth covered home?? I really want to see... I've been saying i wanna do that.we.. had below zero temps from Nov til not that long ago it's actually only low 40s still and humidity is 88%...we have temperature and real feel cus of the wind will drop temps biting cold winds cus the humidity's so high...