What age to let chickens out to forage ?

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Your girls look happy checking out new ground!!
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Thanks so much for sharing your pictures. I commend you for carrying while out on the property. There's no telling when you might need it.
 
I bought an "exercise dog pen" that is 4ft x 4 ft, to let my chicks out for some time so they can eat grass. They are only three weeks old today and plan to move them to their new coop when they are 6 weeks. They will stay in the coop for few days so they will learn where home is, then I can open the hen door and let them in the run and also get some of them in the dog pen which I will place close to the coop. I have 20 chicks so I will have to let just a few of them out at a time I don't think I will be able to handle all of them at once. Also I have been training them with treats every day, I have been bringing treats to their brooder in the morning and now when they see me with the plastic tray they gather together for me so I am hoping this will continue to work later on when I want them to get back to their coop/run. My one year old hens are so very well trained that I can bring them back into their run every time I have to (they only free range for three hours a day since they have to be supervised due to having lots of hawks in this area). Hopefully my plan will work out, I believe if you give treats to them you pretty much can train them.
 
aldarita said:
I bought an "exercise dog pen" that is 4ft x 4 ft, to let my chicks out for some time so they can eat grass. They are only three weeks old today and plan to move them to their new coop when they are 6 weeks. They will stay in the coop for few days so they will learn where home is, then I can open the hen door and let them in the run and also get some of them in the dog pen which I will place close to the coop. I have 20 chicks so I will have to let just a few of them out at a time I don't think I will be able to handle all of them at once. Also I have been training them with treats every day, I have been bringing treats to their brooder in the morning and now when they see me with the plastic tray they gather together for me so I am hoping this will continue to work later on when I want them to get back to their coop/run. My one year old hens are so very well trained that I can bring them back into their run every time I have to (they only free range for three hours a day since they have to be supervised due to having lots of hawks in this area). Hopefully my plan will work out, I believe if you give treats to them you pretty much can train them.
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Thanks for the information. I have very picky chickens when it comes to treats, so far they get really excited when they get the fresh cut grass. Other than that it has been sort of what ever when I try treats. But the feed works well they come running for the bucket when they see me heading toward the coop.
I keep experimenting with the treat's I am sure that they will finally like something.
 
Here is a few pics of my hoop coop I put a tarp over the run part when it's raining






The run is 6'x4' it is covered with 16 gauge fencing and 1" chicken wire over that. the coop part is 3'x4'. This is not their home just a chicken tractor I built myself for the chicks I also have a 10'x5' hoop chicken tractor I built for my teenagers just for grazing, my adults free range when I am home. In the first picture you can see their coops in the back ground and my dog kennel. I am building another coop 8'x16' because I am a victim of chicken math.
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Chickens R Us said:
Here is a few pics of my hoop coop I put a tarp over the run part when it's raining






The run is 6'x4' it is covered with 16 gauge fencing and 1" chicken wire over that. the coop part is 3'x4'. This is not their home just a chicken tractor I built myself for the chicks I also have a 10'x5' hoop chicken tractor I built for my teenagers just for grazing, my adults free range when I am home. In the first picture you can see their coops in the back ground and my dog kennel. I am building another coop 8'x16' because I am a victim of chicken math.
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Very cool , I will have to show this to my husband . he is a welder fabricator . This should be right up his alley. Thanks so much for the pictures. Will let you know what we do.
 

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