free ranging and feeding young chicks

[TeriNick50]

My chickens are 9 weeks old and free range most of the day. I fill their feeder once a day (no more or no less from day #1). Most often, I find their crumbles strewn about the coop - they are messy eaters. In addition to feed and free ranging, I provide treats every morning.

 

[RL]

Mine were around 2 weeks old when I put them in the coop and about 3 weeks when I let free range.
They were just like kids at that age. They would play in the yard, run back into the coop, dive into the feed, grab a few gulps of water and then like a flash back out into yard. They would do this all day.
Now that they are going on 13 ~ 14 weeks they mainly stay out and only every once in a while go back in the coop for some feed and drink - mainly on vary hot days. So, I would have to say 4 to 5 months as well is when I would the feed consumption go down.
My oldest ones hardly eat any of the feed now, there are just too many good bugs, lizards and greens in the yard, but they will sometimes just before roosting for the night, will grab a little feed.

 

[cmom]

I put my chicks and brooder out in their coop from day one. I keep them shut in the coop for their first week then I open their pop door and let them come out on their own when they are ready. I agree with gritsar

Quote:
To answer your question simply, I guess mine were about five months old when I noticed a significant drop in the amount of food they were consuming.
By then, they were free ranging most of the day.

 

[fiddleblue]

I read a great suggestion in Storey's Guide which is that chicks at age 2 weeks are ready to go out on what I would call "field trips" outside, and that this can be done by placing them in a pen. I am building what is basically a 16 inch by 3 ft by 12 inch high cage without a bottom to contain them while they go outside. The protection on all sides comforts me. I will place a waterer inside with them and only place them in shady places.
As far as starting to scratch, my 2 day old chicks are already scratching like mad in their pine shavings. I found all 6 of my chicks, 2 2 days old and 4 a week old, all very excitedly scratching at one 2 by 4 inch area of pine shavings they had peeled the paper towel covering away from. (I'd read that placing a paper towel over the pine shavings for the 1st 2 days helps them learn to feed at the feeder).