How fast are they?

[MyNameIs86]

Okay today is day 17 of incubation which means....tomorrow is lockdown. Yey-ya.
anyway, i'm just thinking a head (as usual)
how fast do chicks run? i might take them outside for a few photo ops and let them just roam. lol. I am wondering how fast they run since i'm not the fastest person. lol. when can i take them outside after they hatch?

 

[Fierlin1182]

We let our chicks outdoors from about two or three weeks in age for brief periods, but then again it's very warm here. As long as you don't leave them outside for too long, a quick run in the sun should be good for them. If you're worried about them getting away from you (and yes, they do. We often had to reach into the undergrowth and pull them out when it was time to go back in ) think about a run which you can keep the chicks in. It doesn't have to be anything elaborate.

Anyway, good luck with your chicks! Especially taking photos, it's pretty hard to get good ones of chicks as they're getting active outdoors.

 

[KimKimWilliamso]

I was thinking the exact same thing! LOL I would like to let them free range while we are out weeding the garden and stuff, through out thier lives, but I am sooooo scared they will bolt and take off an be lost to a predator if I cant locate them. I have seen people Chickens follow them around like puppies, but how can I guarantee mine will? LOL

Id love to hear how your romps go when you eventually do it. As for me, mine are somewhere between 1 and a half and two weeks old so next week we will try an outdoor trip. I will let you know how it goes

 

[tadpole98]

They can run pretty fast, we usually have to herd the little chicks with sticks until they are trained because i can't catch them.

 

[heybarb]

We've been taking ours (4 weeks old) out two or three times a day for about a week. We carry our brooder box out with us and the chicks usually stay pretty close to it although they have started wandering a little farther. Every once in a while, I'll have to shoo them away from something, but for the most part they stay close by. The funny part is when it's time to bring them in, they run circles around the box trying to get away from me - but they never dash AWAY! It's pretty easy with two of us.

 

[dirtbath]

Mine are 16 days old and I started them outside yesterday. I had some long boards that I set up in an area like a little fenced in area and sat outside with them. At first they were scared of all the robins, wind, bees, ets. but after about 5 minutes they started to warm up to the idea and were eating bugs, ants, leaves, sticks, etc. So now they are outdoor pros! They are very tame so they were easy to scoop up and put inside again. I will say they are VERY FAST and like to jump around like they are BONKERS so I would carry a towl out with you and if they run off or get crazy, you could throw a pillowcase or towel on top of them to capture them.

 

[MyNameIs86]

Hmmm. that is making me think perhaps i should go online to see if anybody is giving away a free fence thingy...