Putting on grass for the first time/? about WFBS chickens

[ZenHens]

We're moving our five week pullets into the coop for the first time this weekend, but it's a beautiful day and I thought they might like to peck around in the fenced backyard for a little bit. Supervised, of course. Is there anything I need to do or know? It'll be their first time out of the brooder (I put them in another container for brooder cleaning) and just wanted to make sure there aren't hidden dangers associated I haven't contemplated. I don't think there are any poisonous plants, etc. I'll watch for hawks and Osprey.

In unrelated news, I finally found white-faced black spanish pullets in the area and we're picking them us this weekend. I've wanted some forever. Such neat birds. Are they critically endangered because of the high mortality rate in the chicks or did they just fall out of favor for some reason?

 

[Gabrielle]

You basically have it all down for watching them play around. Just make sure your monitoring them, just in case something comes around and scares them or they start eating something crazy.

(I had that happen and a chick died of fright and the other chicks wouldn't move. Some crazy cat wanted birds for breakfast.)

 

[AlicesSilkies]

Zenhens, i am completely in the same sistuation as you, mine are coming up to 2 months, but when i put them out my polish chick tried to fly away

So be careful..Good luck..
p.s.
can you let me know how it goes please and any tips would be so welcome.

 

[ZenHens]

They seemed to have a blast. In fact, one of my pullets got so excited that I swear I heard this chirpy "Chirpachirpachirp!" Exact same cadence as a cockadoodledoo. Oops. I've had suspicions about one of our Barred Rocks and that did nothing to help. I sure hope not; we're prohibited from having roosters in our town. Please tell me little hens can do this or that surely it was a coincidence. Heh.

Someone must have thrown a cigarette butt into our bushes (we live adjacent to a church parking lot) and of course one of the little Delawares found it. I got her to drop it fast, but hopefully she's not addicted.

Otherwise, it went well. No attempts to fly out and no predators in sight. We don't have a lot--wrong part of town for Coyotes. We live in the suburbs near a coastal highway, so our biggest worry is the Ospreys and Hawks. And since it's Florida, snakes. I've never seen anything but little garden black snakes, but that doesn't mean others don't exist I guess.

 

[AlicesSilkies]

Wooo!!! Good job!!
I am definatley going to have attempt number 2 tomorrow!!
I bet the chicks will sleep well tonight!!
Thanks for the update

p.s just pretend that you didnt hear the little cookadoodledoo