Free range

[Chickychoo2020]

At what age can I begin to let my chickens free range. They are 4 weeks old and have their feathers. I worry if they will wonder too far or find their way back. New to this! Any information helps! Thanks in advance

 

[j1lly99]

At what age can I begin to let my chickens free range. They are 4 weeks old and have their feathers. I worry if they will wonder too far or find their way back. New to this! Any information helps! Thanks in advance

I'm new to this as well, but my first questions are: Where do you live? Lots of predators around? Netting? Cats/dogs that they need to be protected from? A little more information on their surroundings might help people give a little bit better feedback.

 

[Justso]

I'll usually free range when I reliably trained my chicks to come to me when I call them. I should say, when the shaking sound from the treat box calls them. That's what I'll usually do, with them still on a closed area I'll have a Tupperware with some scratch, give it a shake, call chick chick and give out some treat. you don't need to send out very much scratch at all, and you'll be shocked to see how quickly they pick it up. Soon the shaking sound/chick chick will be the most important sound in the whole world.

 

[superdeluxe]

Usually when all of their feathers are in..by week 6 or 7? Also, I let them have a trial period, where I let them out of the run/coop for an hour before dusk, just so they know where home is every night.

 

[jreardon1918]

Your threat tolerance will be a key decider. We had a hawk attack a full grown White Plymouth Rock recently. She shrugged it off and ran away. She lost a few feathers. I wonder if a 6 week old would have been so lucky.