So many questions...

[ladyhand]

My 2.5 week old chicks LOVE going outside to explore around my daughters playhouse. They run and fly, forage, and take dust baths. Because they’re so young, I don’t leave them out alone and not for super long times (today was an hour because, to be honest, I was too tired to chase them). They’ve learned they can run and fly around her play set and I can’t, so trying to catch them turns into a disaster and I’m genuinely concerned I’ll accidentally hurt them trying to catch them (God knows I’ve fallen enough). Should I stop the outdoor trips they seem to enjoy so much or do you have some advice on how to make getting them back to the brooder goes easier. They will come up and jump on me while outside, and stay fairly close to me, so I think they trust me, but they typically never come to me for treats or let me pet them. What am I doing wrong?

my second question is, since they love jumping/flying up on, and around things, should I incorporate these types of things into their run, or are they like puppies where they lose interest when grown.

Our bananas were super ripe today and I tried giving them some, and they took one bite and started rubbing their beaks on the pine chips.

Thank you for your help. I just want to have the happiest and healthiest chicks possible!

 

[3KillerBs]

Can you give them an enclosed pen so that they can enjoy the outdoors safely without risk of not being able to catch them?

 

[ladyhand]

Can you give them an enclosed pen so that they can enjoy the outdoors safely without risk of not being able to catch them?

Then they wouldn’t really be able to get to all the stuff they love jumping on...

 

[DobieLover]

my second question is, since they love jumping/flying up on, and around things, should I incorporate these types of things into their run, or are they like puppies where they lose interest when grown.

Absolutely! They do not outgrow the desire to dig around things and perch on items to preen and relax.

Can you pen the playset?

 

[ladyhand]

Absolutely! They do not outgrow the desire to dig around things and perch on items to preen and relax.

Can you pen the playset?

I could - but then there’s still the trouble of getting them back up to go to the brooder. It’s almost 90 during the day here but drops back to high 60s/ low 70s at night, so I don’t think I can leave them outside.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Safest to let them play in some sort of enclosed area (can be as simple as snow fencing attached to posts in a big circle), as yes they can just take off if curiosity (or fear) strikes. Too many sad stories on here from folks letting chicks out to play, turning around for a minute, and then finding that one or more have gone missing.

Your chicks (and temperatures) line up well for them spending more time outside.

my second question is, since they love jumping/flying up on, and around things, should I incorporate these types of things into their run, or are they like puppies where they lose interest when grown.

Most breeds of chickens (anything that's not heavy) would enjoy having some access to vertical obstacles/surfaces, and it can help expand their usable space in the run.

Example: we got this jungle gym for the chickens, and every afternoon around 4:30 I find 4-6 birds sitting on top of it, contently grooming and just watching the world go by. We also have several perches, along with other stuff at different heights (the corner of a covered feed area is to the right, my older hens have claimed that as their turf) for them to use.

 

[RoyalChick]

Don't worry about them wiping their beaks after the banana - that is their only option when they get their beaks dirty. Mine tend to wipe their beaks off on my shoes after any messy treat.

 

[3KillerBs]

Don't worry about them wiping their beaks after the banana - that is their only option when they get their beaks dirty. Mine tend to wipe their beaks off on my shoes after any messy treat.

I tossed a slug into the chicken run once.

My chickens don't like slugs. They spit it back out and wiped their beaks.

 

[RoyalChick]

I tossed a slug into the chicken run once.

My chickens don't like slugs. They spit it back out and wiped their beaks.

Mine love slugs thank goodness (because I really don’t like them very much in my garden!)

 

[ladyhand]

Mine tend to wipe their beaks off on my shoes after any messy treat.

They remind me more and more of human children daily