What time do you let your chickens out in the morning?

[chilisweet]

I have tried to search for answers to this question and I must be dense or something, but I can't find a thing!

How long can the girls be in the coop overnight without getting too hungry? So far we have opened the coop at 6:30am, 7am and 8:30am. They seemed fine each morning, but we just don't know when the best time is. We would prefer to wait until 8:30 or so. Oh, we don't keep food and water in the coop, just in the run.

Thanks!
~Caran

 

[Sparrow]

I keep food and water in my coop...my chickens are total babies

...and I let them out between 7-8:30 a.m. They seem to be fine with whatever time I let them out, just as long as I do it before it gets hot.

 

[antiquebuff]

I think you should keep water available to your chicks at all times. Mine are let out into the run at 7 each morning except the weekend and its around 8 to 9. But, they have food and water at all times.
I think they adapt very easily!

 

[skeeter]

i dont let mine out till afternoon,I have a hen that will lay anywhere,but they have feed and water in the coop then they free range after they give me some eggs

 

[jackiedon]

I don't think there is a magic time. I keep water and food in the coop at all times and the door open so they can go back and forth. The chickens in one of my coops sometimes I leave in until they lay their eggs because once they get out, I will never find their eggs but they always have food and water.

jackie

 

[Mahonri]

At present I let my 11 week old chicks out as soon as the sun is up... about 5:30AM... They leave the run and go back into the coop when it's hot or dark or stormy like it was today.

Come September, I'll have a light that turns on at 5:30AM and will go off at 6:30 or 7:30 PM and I'll probably leave them in the coop where the nest boxes are until they can learn to lay in the AM... then let them out...

I guess a hen can't be trained when to lay but I'm hoping... I guess they lay just like when nature calls.

 

[go-veggie]

Let's see...it really varies over here. We let them out anywhere between 6am and 9am depending on whether it's a weekday or weekend. It's usually later on weekends when we sleep in more. I feed them and fill their water up around 9 or 10 pm so they have what they need, and close them up for the night-tarp and all-just in case it rains and also to put one more layer of something between them and any predators. I leave part of it open for good air flow though. I also turn their heat lamp on when it gets cool at night. It's 60 here right now, so I turned it on a couple hours ago-they seem to love it when I have it on for them. I guess the only thing I don't do is let them out too early if we aren't going to be around or wide awake, because there might be some lurking predators still roaming around.
(by the way, I got great customer service over the phone and online from mypetchicken.com yesterday! I'm impressed!!!!)

 

[My Little Sister's Farm]

I keep water with them at all times, I feed in there too though. Heaven forbid there's an emergency and they are stuck in there all day on a 100 degree day without water! But we let them out around 8:30, right before I head off to work.

 

[cyrixlord]

my 3 month Astralorp pullets have food and water inside their coop, and there's a door in the gate so they can come and go as they please. They also go back into their coop on their own at around 8 when the dogs go inside. of course i live in the middle of a housing area in teh middle of a city, so i dont have to worry TOO much about predators. My dogs offer 24/7 protection from predators since they have a doggie door and protect my chickens. Also my run is netted from airborn predators and cats.

Cyrix

 

[go-veggie]

cyrixlord... I love your thumbnail picture...so cute!!!!