Venturing from the coop

[MTKitty]

It’s official. My chicks are dumb.

I put the whole flock of 5-week-olds (17) in the coop when temps were good. They spent the last three weeks hanging out in the chicken house except for two that wandered out briefly a week or so back.

Yesterday, the entire flock came out around 5:30 to scratch and peck and wander in the immediate area of the coop. Today, they didn’t come out until 6 or 6:30. With sunset around 7:30, I go out a little after seven so I don’t have to round up and head count in the dark. I wonder if they will ever figure out there are 10 additional hours they can play outside.

 

[aart]

How long have they been out in the coop?
Do you have a run or free range?

 

[MTKitty]

They’ve been out of brooder pen and in the chicken house for about three weeks. I have a small yard (~800 sq ft) they can access after I open their door each morning.

It just seems weird to me that they stay in most of the day and come out only an hour or two before sunset.

 

[aart]

They’ve been out of brooder pen and in the chicken house for about three weeks. I have a small yard (~800 sq ft) they can access after I open their door each morning.

It just seems weird to me that they stay in most of the day and come out only an hour or two before sunset.

They might be scared of preds....they are still pretty young.
Pis of your coop and yard might offer clues.

 

[MTKitty]

They might be scared of preds....they are still pretty young.
Pis of your coop and yard might offer clues.

Could be, but I’ve seen no signs of anything around their area except rabbit pellets; and those are not fresh. Crows hang out in treeline along the creek, but that isn’t close to the pen. I haven’t seen my hawks lately due to visibility limits from smoke.

I’m not overly concerned about it. They’ve been growing noticeably since they’ve been out of the brooder. Only a few baby fluffs on their heads, now. And those are looking pretty ragged, so I know it’s being shed. They almost look like chickens.

They’re getting the hang of things outside. I know they’ll come around.