What is the general time frame for letting chicks out of the coop and into the run? These are my only chicks, brand new coop all for themselves. I put them in the coop 2 days ago and from what I have read here they need to get used to the fact this is where they sleep etc... How many days till I open the door and let them explore the run?
I would say let them out now. As the sun goes down, watch them to see if they go inside the coop by themselves. If they are huddling together outside the coop at nightfall, you can herd them inside yourself. Also, putting a light on inside the coop might help them to go inside by themselves. And keeping the food inside the coop is always an incentive to go back.
Mine usually get to the run before the coop is even done. With all the chicks I've raised they get to go out to the (or a) run after about a week or two old depending on temps. When the coop is done and I feel they are feathered enough, again depending on temps, then they get to stay in the coop at night instead of being brought back inside the house. I has usually taken no more than a week of putting them into the coop at night to get them used to going in on their own. I have never locked them into the coop for any reason except for night timefor two reasons one my coops are usually big enough for sleeping but not for playing also- kinda like the bedrooms in my house. And two if someone locked me in my bedroom and didn't let me out for a week besides going berserk you'd have a hard time getting me back in that room for fear that I'd be locked up again. Night time is one thing I don't want out then anyway. Day time is another matter.
Mine went out for a test run the other day. First night I put them back into their bed inside the coop. (before I moved them back to the brooder because I chickened out! LOL) The next day they went right back to their bed in the coop on their own after being in the run ALL DAY. I didn't think they knew how to even get back in. Smart birds they are! Yours will be fine!
To me, it depends on their age and the weather. Mine generally get to go in the run around age 5 or 6. Your coop is probably bigger than the brooder, so they should be very comfortable in there for a while. I leave mine in the coop for about a week before they are exposed to the run. I've never had a problem with them wanting to sleep in the run. On a couple of occasions in my grow-out pen, I've had some that could not figure out how to get back in at bedtime, although they went in and out a few times during the day. They desperately wanted to go in and join their buddies but just could not figure out how. Birdbrains!!!!
