Free Range Help

[chkva]

I bought chicks about 7 weeks ago. They have been in their brooder in the coop for most of that time, but I feel like I want to let them out to roam a bit. I have been letting them out every day into a fenced in area for about 3 weeks now, but I pick them up one by one and place them into that area because we had the hopes of one day just opening up the coop and letting them roam until dusk. I am just a bit worried that they will run off and not come back. I have neighbors, but each neighbor is separated by dense woods. I am just not sure how to go about letting them free range without using my little fenced in area. I have seen plenty of people down our road that just let the chickens run around all day long even by the road and it seems as though they do fine. I guess I am just over concerned. I have 2 week old chicks as well, but I think I will hold off on them roaming because they are a bit thick headed when I put them in fenced area. They basically jump through holes and run away while I run around trying to wrangle them. Any advice will help because I have watched so many videos, but no one really explains how to actually start free ranging.

 

[SoProlix]

I started letting mine out a little younger than yours. They were pretty cautious and only slowly explored further and further from the coop. They still don't range nearly our full 10 acres. They mostly put themselves to bed without a problem. I did have one or two that would try to roost somewhere outside occasionally. I would just move them at night when I closed up the coop or shoo them off a little before dusk and they would go in the coop on their own. I've heard keeping a light on in the coop will encourage them to return, but haven't tried it.

You might try letting them out just a few hours before dusk on a day you can hang around and watch them. If they put themselves to bed, you can let them out earlier/unattended and see how that goes.