To young to free range?

[Mrs. K]

Mine are 4 weeks old, and in with the hens. I let the hens out by leaving the gate open, the chicks just stayed in naturally for a couple of days, however, two days ago they got braver and I am missing a chick. Chicks are integrated into the laying flock, but they are a sub flock. Without a broody hen, they are easy pickings.

 

[Henrybelle]

Thanks! I only let hem out if the the suns out during the warmest hours of the day and the brooder is rather easy to clean out so it gets cleaned maybe every other day. Also every week to every other week I mix fresh minced garlic and acv into their water but his does nothing for external parasites so I try to give them a good check maybe once or twice a week. Very good insight thanks again!

 

[Henrybelle]

I’m also just days or hours from coop completion. Yay! Though it is still colder at nights so they may still need some heat most of them have feathered out but here are a couple that are about 70% feathered.

 

[centrarchid]

If young birds lost repeatedly but no adults taken, then be looking for a Coopers Hawk, especially this time of year.

 

[Henrybelle]

Ugh your so lucky! I wish I had the space to expand and get more chicks! It’s so addicting every time I go to the feed store they’ve got some new and oh so tiny cuddle-fluffs

When you bring them back into the brooder between bouts of free-ranging, watch out for health issues developing. The back and forth stuff I try to avoid as it can concentrate pathogens / parasites always present on ground that can go crazy in a confined brooder.

I am running 5 cohorts / batches of chicks in brooder now. Oldest is about 4 weeks old. Once oldest 5 weeks old they will be allowed out for a few hours at end of day only when dry for first week or so. Later they will be allowed out on wet days. Supervision here not direct most of the time.

 

[Henrybelle]

Since I am sort of new chickens( I can’t remember how ours were when I was high school too busy care then) do chickens mind the rain?

 

[TheTwoRoos]

They rather to be dry.Mist generally they will run and hide from the rain,depending on how hard it’s falling.

 

[centrarchid]

Most of the time they do not mind it, especially when hungry. A full chicken will be less likely to go out into rain. If cover lacking they will stand in rain for hours on end. Adult and older juveniles can handle rain well.

 

[Henrybelle]

Ok thank you!

 

[Ridgerunner]

My older ones like to go out in a fairly gentle rain. Sometimes the rain drives earthworms to the surface here they can get a meal. Food is a good motivator. If there is a strong wind with the rain they generally head for shelter.

Young chicks that have not feathered out are in danger from rain unless they have a broody hen to take car of them. Even then you can have issues. But once they have gone from down to feathers rain is not a big deal.