What age to let chickens out to forage ?

[K Epp]

I have chickens ranging from 2 yrs to 1 week. Of course the babies are in a brooder. As soon as they get enough feathers to go out side I move them to a grow out coop. I have two for different size chicks each has a heat lamp so if temps drop. They move from brooder to Bantam house (converted Little Tykes cabin). Then to the Polish/Silkie coop. When they out grow the Silkies they move to the barn. The birds in the barn are let out in the morning and put up at night. The Silkie house only gets let out when I'm home. The Bantam only go out when I'm watching. I have 2 acres that has a chain link fence. I have a Lab on a 40 ft run on back of property and a rescue bulldog/??? on the front. I have a chiwheenie that is loose She guards the birds and chases the cats away from the chicks even though they don't bother them. When I want them in the coop I feed them they come running. A child's butterfly net comes in handy to catch any stragglers. Good Roosters are great for alarming to predators. The other day the chicks 3mth old were sounding alarm and running under my chair. I look up expecting a hawk and see a crow it did steal a fledgling from a bird nest in the tree. Now I make sure they have things to hid under near their coop. They have been in big coop for a month now and very seldom go far unless they are following me. I big birds always come down for a visit and to see if they have dropped and food. All my animals seem to co exist well.



The small coop is were the ducks stay at night.

 

[Homestead girl]

I would just like to thank everyone for all the great advise and how each of you have added to my knowledge bank. It is so helpful when this is your first go
round with chickens. I bought 18 and that was it. But I got talked in to 13 EE after we built the coop. What was I thinking

. But we are enjoying every minute of it.

.

 

[Fancychooklady]

I would just like to thank everyone for all the great advise and how each of you have added to my knowledge bank.  It is so helpful when this is your first go
round with chickens. I bought 18 and that was it. But I got talked in to 13 EE after we built the coop. What was I thinking . But we are enjoying every minute of it. :cd .

Well said! Who would have thought that something as simple as keeping chickens, would bring such joy to so many people. Thanks to BYC for making it possible for like minded people to share their experiences .

 

[AParmer]

I put the game camera in the coop for the last two days ,cause I had a lot of EE loosing feathers at first I thought I had mites or lice. I was really freaking out. cause I keep the coop clean. Well the camera does not lie. I have seven EE roos. and they are really fighting or establishing who will rule the roost. they are only 8 weeks old. So I am going to try to trim the beaks on them. I don't want to have to cage them this early .Since you have a rooster do you think that might work to slow down them pecking each other at the moment. I do know which roo is the most aggressive. I thought of just removing him. But they are still so young. Is this normal for them?

I really appreciate you asking for my help. Though I'm not sure about trimming beaks. I would certainly remove the most aggressive ones. If you have a good hen to rooster ratio, then separate them into separate "flocks" I wouldn't put more than about two roos for every five or six pullets. Just don't put more than one aggressor in each group. I hope someone else can help a little further, but do remove your aggressive boy. I have one of my Lorp boys that is picking on my favorite little Welsummer girl of the same age. He's going to have to go in with the older girls himself.

 

[Katie Hays]

If you have trouble getting them to return to coop hold up a bed sheet and shake it near them. They will run back into their safe coop! Accidently found this out hanging sheets on a line outside! Now when I see a hawk I grab a sheet and follow the chickens to their coop and lock them safely away! This is the only way I can get them into their coop during daylight hours!

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

I really appreciate you asking for my help. Though I'm not sure about trimming beaks. I would certainly remove the most aggressive ones. If you have a good hen to rooster ratio, then separate them into separate "flocks" I wouldn't put more than about two roos for every five or six pullets. Just don't put more than one aggressor in each group. I hope someone else can help a little further, but do remove your aggressive boy. I have one of my Lorp boys that is picking on my favorite little Welsummer girl of the same age. He's going to have to go in with the older girls himself.

I'm not sure where this original question appeared in this thread, but in my limited experience the EE cockerels are really jerky. They weren't the first to mature, but once they started getting competitive there was no peace for anyone. We got rid of the most aggressive one first, but there was another ready to take his place as top jerk. We have a pretty large mixed flock in which we tried to keep one EE roo, and he was maybe okay-ish with a lot of hens and no other EE cocks around, but our hens were looking rattier every day and I finally got out my big girl boots and made some tough calls about which roosters to re-home and which to keep (7 left, only 4 stayed). The last EE roo didn't make the cut. Maybe I'll try another EE later if I can set up isolated breeding colonies. I'm not sure I'd ever have a particularly competitive or aggressive rooster where he could even see another male. They just get so worked up.

Spurs and toenails are at least as much of a problem as beaks are. If you start trimming things, you might find yourself busy trying to solve an unsolvable problem.

 

[centrarchid]

I have procedure that results in chicks / juveniles consistently going back to roost without having to resort to baiting, driving or capturing them.

I also want to push young birds into using elevated roost so they can be free ranged around a roost that is open 24 hours. What I have been doing is imprinting chicks on a plastic box lying on its side that has capacity to accomodate all chicks without piling. Imprinting takes place in brooder where box is a dominant feature in their environment. Then chicks moved in box at three to four weeks of age to coop where box is again placed on its side. If all working well chicks will hide in box most of first day except to feed and drink since they recognize it from brooder. The box is something they know as non-threatening. They will roost / lay in it at night. After a few days, I make it so birds can exit coop to forage. The exit and entrance point is ideally at ground level. On first day, the release occurs late in day an hour or so before they would normally go to sleep. This ensures first excursion does not take them far enough to get lost. Do not disturb birds this first time by feeding away from coop or chasing them. After dark inspect to confirm all re-entered coop to roost, most likely they will be in box as on previous nights. If stragglers, then repeat late release one more night, otherwise following days you can release at dawn if you like but always close up coop for night. Ground level access is critical. I also make so natural light is not obstructed. The coops are walled with chicken wire or 2 x 4 welded wire which are otherwise not a good predator deterrent but do allow ample light to pass through. Insufficient light can cause chicks to pile up outside coop. The box birds are imprinted on can be important later when trying to get birds roosting up. I do this multiple times each year and the four weeks or so the birds roost down on ground are the most problematic for me. Birds are stressed by changes and at greatest risk for health problems especially while confined to coop in contact with ground. Predators are controlled by checking to see all coops closed at dusk and having very good dogs that patrol and can be trusted even with piles of chicks on ground. Start thinking early about getting birds to roost in location where access requires at least jumping or even better flying at least 6 feet up. With the exception of meat breeds and silkies, most chickens can make such flights by about 10 weeks. When birds have difficulties getting up to roost, I make so they have a saw horse or something similar serving as an intermediate step. Setting up proper elevated roost is also extremely important. I want birds up and asleep ASAP once going to roost started. Lots of racket attracts bad company and makes guard duty for me of dogs more difficult. Sounds coming from birds at night always demand attention to prevent losses.

 

[AParmer]

I'm not sure where this original question appeared in this thread, but in my limited experience the EE cockerels are really jerky. They weren't the first to mature, but once they started getting competitive there was no peace for anyone. We got rid of the most aggressive one first, but there was another ready to take his place as top jerk. We have a pretty large mixed flock in which we tried to keep one EE roo, and he was maybe okay-ish with a lot of hens and no other EE cocks around, but our hens were looking rattier every day and I finally got out my big girl boots and made some tough calls about which roosters to re-home and which to keep (7 left, only 4 stayed). The last EE roo didn't make the cut. Maybe I'll try another EE later if I can set up isolated breeding colonies. I'm not sure I'd ever have a particularly competitive or aggressive rooster where he could even see another male. They just get so worked up.

Spurs and toenails are at least as much of a problem as beaks are. If you start trimming things, you might find yourself busy trying to solve an unsolvable problem.

Leslie, I'm so glad to see your response to this! My husband and I have been talking about adding several EEs to our flock once my Buff Orphingtons are ready to range with the rest of the feathered kids. I'm rather partial to the more docile breeds. But my weakness is a good looking rooster. I may stay away from EE roosters if aggressiveness is a trait commonly seen with them. I currently have 27 chickens. One adult rooster to watch over everybody and four (maybe five) young cockerels. The young ones are five weeks old today. Give or take a few days.

 

[centrarchid]

Their are alternatives to EE's that are also easy on eyes. Many may also be suitable for larger groups.

 

[Fancychooklady]

Their are alternatives to EE's that are also easy on eyes.  Many may also be suitable for larger groups.

Lovely