Integrating chicks? Am I doing this right?

[Browniethechicken]

Wonderful diagram! I am going to post pics of my run promptly! But…. I was wondering also about what fun and stimulating things I should add to the run to keep them active and happy and less bored? They only free range with me about an hour or two a day. I live in rural fox and hawk heaven. Do you have anything I can make or things I can buy or things around the house to use as “toys”?

Plenty of ideas here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-cluttered-run.1323792/ (my photo is post #56). In addition, piles of plant material such as dried leaves, straw, etc as they love to dig through those. My newest run additions (not in the diagram or photos above) are some tree stumps, and the birds have taken to pecking at the bark to try and find any bugs under it.

I have plenty of tree stumps! Thank you! And I have so many leaves this time of year!

 

[Ridgerunner]

Do you think I should be concerned that the older ladies seem pretty interested in running after them and picking at them during our free range time outside together?

I think Rosemary described it pretty well.

And are you worried about five week or six week old chicks being out in 40° or 30° nights?

No, as long as they have a decent coop. That means they are not getting rained on, are not being hit by a wind, and have decent ventilation.

 

[Goatm0m]

I was about to post similar questions about my 13 and 8 week olds I’m trying to integrate. Great questions and answers! Thanks!

 

[bhawk-23]

I was about to post similar questions about my 13 and 8 week olds I’m trying to integrate. Great questions and answers! Thanks!

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