Turned them out!

Chris623

Songster
10 Years
Jun 18, 2009
163
1
109
Central Oklahoma woods
My chicks are now 11 weeks old. I opened the run gate at 10 weeks and let them go. Pardon the pun but I was like an old mother hen about it. Was just sure they wouldn't "come home" at the end of the day. But, instead, they parade home off and on all day long, and free range as far (so far) as 100 yards from the coop. They dutifully put themselves to bed at dusk, just like chickens are supposed to do. (See, why worry?)
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Prior to the "release", they were eating me out of house and home and I was worried I'd need to purchase more "starter" feed before switching to "laying" feed. But as soon as they'd seen the big world, my food bill plummeted. They seem to be thriving on the bugs, worms and foliage. All is well and they are growing so fast I think I can hear their little bones "squeak" like growing corn!
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I ordered 25 chicks, but the breeder sent an extra packing peanut. One died on the way, and I've lost 3 more since their arrival. So I'm down to 22...........but that's a good quantity for what we want. I'm sure I don't need to tell anyone, but they are a ball to watch. I'm really enjoying them and now wonder why I've not had chickens until now in my life. Just want to add a big "thank you" to all the answers to newbie questions when I first got started. Lot's of help from the forum for a first time "chicken wrangler".
 
Yes, I'm hooked on chickens. They are so darned much fun.
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But they sure require a lot of my time!!!! "Turning them out" has had a negative impact on my flock............ literally! When I turned them out to free range, I had 22 hens and one Roo. Today, I'm down to 14 and 1 !!!!! I've even built a pen around their run and coop, keeping them from qualifying as "free range" chickens, and they still fly out!!!! They do love to wander. But I live in the woods and they've made 8 nice meals for predators. I'm beginning to think I'm going to have to put aviary netting over the top of the pen to keep 'em at home!
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( I didn't initially want a Roo, but think I'll let some of them brood some chicks in the Spring to supplement my losses. )
 

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