What age to let chickens out to forage ?

[Iluvmallards]

Hi Iluvmallards. What kind of chickens do you have? I hope mine take care of some snakes.

Rhode Island Reds and I have to white ones that I bought at tractor supply last year I am not sure what the white ones are, they were from the bantam bin but are as big as my RIRs, they are white with a little rust coloring on the feathers around the necks and back, they are really friendly towards people, but does not like anything in the yard, I have one RIR named cheese, she will come running when she here's my car to greet me (see what I have brought home to eat) she even comes to the door and pecks at it, when my son or I have not been out for a while

 

[Chicks Galore3]

I take my chicks out at around 4 weeks in a pen if its warm. At about 6-8 weeks I let them out "Free-range" under supervision. At 3-4 months I let them out, without supervision. (Or at least I'm inside, I'm usually glued the window.

 

[melina90]

We've had lovely warm weather here in Norway lately so today even the 3-week-olds are out scratching around in a bunny-tractor. I carry them all between the brooder and the coop in a big plastic bowl that I stole from the kitchen - my mom says it looks like I'm going straight to the BBQ with them! Lol

The older flock started freeranging at 3-4months. They always (well almost always) were back in the coop by the evening and I very rarely had to go look for them.

 

[AParmer]

I let my almost eight week old Lorps out in the back yard today. They happily jumped down out of their coop. As I started to transfer the younger chicks to the yard pen, the older girls and Stevie (the adult rooster) followed me back and forth between the coop and the pen. I also put my ten Buff Orphington girls (almost four weeks old) out in the yard pen with the six week old Lorps and Wellies. I suppose it's a good thing my husband is sleeping after work. He'd wonder why the heck I keep running outside... To check on everybody. But I'm a proud mama today because my big girls have found them a spot under the brush at the back off the yard to relax. They had two large spots scratched up taking dust baths when I was out last.

 

[Triple Willow]

Rhode Island Reds and I have to white ones that I bought at tractor supply last year I am not sure what the white ones are, they were from the bantam bin but are as big as my RIRs, they are white with a little rust coloring on the feathers around the necks and back, they are really friendly towards people, but does not like anything in the yard, I have one RIR named cheese, she will come running when she here's my car to greet me (see what I have brought home to eat) she even comes to the door and pecks at it, when my son or I have not been out for a while

I have heard a friend talk about their RIR's killing big snakes. I may have to have a few RIR's mixed in my flock. I have plenty of snakes for them! I also have a couple "white chickens" from Tractor Supply that I am not sure about. lol I think they are Delawares, but who knows! I do really like them. They are the sweetest hens I have and pretty.

I had some geese like your hen. They would honk at me and come when I would get home. And there were three I had once that would knock on the front door. lol Its pretty funny to answer the door and nobody there then look down and see geese. lol Geese are pretty cool creatures.

 

[GertrudeLover01]

I closely watch my chicks outdoors from age 6 days to 6-10 weeks. Then, I mover to an enclosed small area while keeping an eye on them. When they are large enough to (a) NOT slip out of the chain link (b) slip under the shed, and (c) be hurt by older girls while establishing pecking order, I let them roam by themselves while I work outside or sit and read. Then, to get everyone back in, I scatter their treats in their coop and shake the bag. I use Happy Hen Treats- Dried meal worms. They love the treats and it makes forage time SO easy. I just pick up stragglers and put them in the coop my self. I hope I helped!

 

[Iluvmallards]

I have heard a friend talk about their RIR's killing big snakes. I may have to have a few RIR's mixed in my flock. I have plenty of snakes for them! I also have a couple "white chickens" from Tractor Supply that I am not sure about. lol I think they are Delawares, but who knows! I do really like them. They are the sweetest hens I have and pretty.

I had some geese like your hen. They would honk at me and come when I would get home. And there were three I had once that would knock on the front door. lol Its pretty funny to answer the door and nobody there then look down and see geese. lol Geese are pretty cool creatures.

I love geese I just hatched 3 Toulouse Dewlaps and I have some Buff dewlaps in the incubator, I think there is nothing cuter than a gosling talking back at you, we had a little excitement today when I got home, I have two ducks setting on eggs, I noticed the hen that had been on her nest the longest was off her nest and in with the other hen then I looked down under the coop and there was a big black snake, my Chinese goose scar face was outside the cage trying to get at it, so I went in the house and got the machete and chopped its head off, it had eaten at least three babies bc it had thrown them up bc it could not get out, so I have been outside snake proofing the duck pen, because both hens eggs have hatched and it looks like they have 15+ ducklings in there. My white chickens are the ones that beat up the squirrels and they are the best layers I have.

 

[Triple Willow]

I love geese I just hatched 3 Toulouse Dewlaps and I have some Buff dewlaps in the incubator, I think there is nothing cuter than a gosling talking back at you, we had a little excitement today when I got home, I have two ducks setting on eggs, I noticed the hen that had been on her nest the longest was off her nest and in with the other hen then I looked down under the coop and there was a big black snake, my Chinese goose scar face was outside the cage trying to get at it, so I went in the house and got the machete and chopped its head off, it had eaten at least three babies bc it had thrown them up bc it could not get out, so I have been outside snake proofing the duck pen, because both hens eggs have hatched and it looks like they have 15+ ducklings in there. My white chickens are the ones that beat up the squirrels and they are the best layers I have.

Oh no, sorry the snake got your babies. Fifteen ducklings would be a snake buffet! At least that snake won't get anymore. I don't know what my chickens would do with a snake. I'm sure a big chicken snake could kill one but they are too big to eat. I bet all your ducklings and goslings are really cute. How about pictures?

 

[GAFarmGirl87]

I have a large run with a little hen house & a roosting house in it. I have 10 hens & 1 rooster in the run, all around 4.5 months old (I got them about 6 weeks ago, when they were 3 months old), and then I have 1 little game hen that free-ranges all day & roosts in the trees at night.

I left mine in the run for about 2 weeks before I let them out for the first time. I only let mine out in the afternoons if I know I'll be outside until dusk. I have about an acre. At first they stayed close to the pen, but now each time they venture a little further. I do my best to discourage them from roaming the front yard, since I don't want them venturing into the road, and it usually works. Most of them will go back into the pen on their own when it's time for bed. Now that summer is here with longer days, I'm usually ready to put them back in their pen before it's time for bed. I simply shake a cup full of scratch and call them to me as I enter the pen (They know what the shaking noise means by now). They follow me into the run as I give them the scratch. Sometimes one of the hens can't figure out how to get back in, and she circles the pen clucking like crazy and trying to climb the wire, lol. I usually have to go to her and leave a little trail of scratch for her to follow. It gets easier every time, since they are getting a routine with it.

In my opinion, it's best to only let them forage for a few hours in the afternoons/ evenings, especially if you don't want them to wonder very far & if you're afraid of something getting them.

 

[GAFarmGirl87]

My run/ coop: