How old do chicks need to be to free-range?

[h2home1]

What is the appropriate age for young chicks to free range? I have 4 chicks about 5 1/2 weeks old now. I have been letting them free range in the backyard (supervised of course). Is this bad for them? They love it. Could I be doing them harm by having let them out so young? Can they get diseases and worms that will harm them at this early age? I sure hope I haven't hurt them.

As you can tell, I am new to this. Read the book "Raising Chickens for Dummies". Boy, the part on all the diseases and paracites has me concerned. I have been feeding medicated chick feed. Don't know if they have had any vaccinations.

Thanks for any advice on the free-ranging.

CinD for Richland, WA

 

[linuxman]

What is the appropriate age for young chicks to free range? I have 4 chicks about 5 1/2 weeks old now. I have been letting them free range in the backyard (supervised of course). Is this bad for them? They love it. Could I be doing them harm by having let them out so young? Can they get diseases and worms that will harm them at this early age? I sure hope I haven't hurt them.

As you can tell, I am new to this. Read the book "Raising Chickens for Dummies". Boy, the part on all the diseases and paracites has me concerned. I have been feeding medicated chick feed. Don't know if they have had any vaccinations.

Thanks for any advice on the free-ranging.

CinD for Richland, WA

Not at all! Free Ranging is good for all chickens. All right, if they are fully teachered, they are fine. If they are not fully feathered, they need to still be warm. There should not be anything they can get that is life threaghtening at this time, so I think you are good.

 

[alaniz]

I've free ranged mine @ 2 wks old and they did fine. Just make sure they have access to fresh water. Good luck.

 

[Blue]

I have some 4-week-olds out in a little pen in the yard right now. They're doing fine, so I think you'll be okay.

 

[h2home1]

Whew... Thank you for all the good advice. They just love being outside and I would hate to keep them cooped up when they don't have to. I do put them to bed in their pen in the garage with a heat lamp. Lows are in the high 40's at night here still.

CinD

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

I start letting mine out of the coop at 3 weeks old, but they can run right back into their heat lamp area as they desire. I also close in a tiny pen for them with netting overhead for hawks, so they don't wander off and get lost.

 

[fredvw]

My hens start taking them out of the pen when the chicks are about one and half to two weeks old. They go further and further as the chicks grow.

Chicks I brood go outside at 4 weeks old.