my chickens are starting to go free range and they already got the hang of it i let them out in the morning they play around in the yard the they go in the coop at night I'm so proud of them
I used to let mine free range all day, but a red fox started killing them. Now I let them out into their run each morning, then out to free range about 3pm. By 6:30 they're usually back in the run on their own, and shortly after that they go in and roost. I spend lots of time near my windows now, with a .22lr loaded with Stingers waiting for that fox to come by.
I let my pullets out in the yard all day...But I have a 6 foot ceder privacy fence, so my worry about predators is very limited. A co-worker of mine, over in Ft Collins, lost many of her flock to Foxes; so with her current flock, she won't let her hens out during the day unless she's out in the yard with them.