When can chicks free range?

[Chicken love to infinity]

Hi guys! I just got 12 new 3 month old chicks! I was wondering, when are they old enough to free-range. We live in an area with hawks, owls, coyotes, etc, and just want to make sure they would protect themselves. Aside from the chicks, I have 9 other chickens (8 adult hens, 1 serama rooster) that have been free ranging no problem, but they are adults. They have access to about 1 acre of field, and 1 acre of woods, but there are no coyotes in the woods, just lots of snakes. Would snakes be a problem? Our chickens have eaten small, baby snakes but some of the ones in our yard are 4-8 feet long! Sorry for the long post, TIA

 

[AmeraucanaHank]

It sounds to dangerous to me. Could you just fence off a small portion for them?

 

[OzarkChooks]

We net off an area for chicks, so the main flock can get used to them. I have had chicks as young as 8-10 weeks free ranging with our flock. Just keep in mind, they are usually the first to get picked off by a predator.

 

[Chicken love to infinity]

It sounds to dangerous to me. Could you just fence off a small portion for them?

They are being kept in a run until they
are older. The whole yard is fenced in.

 

[Chicken love to infinity]

Also I let them out at 9 and they are put back in at 7. I also check on them 1 or 2 times an hour to make sure they are ok.