When Can I Let Them Go?

[PeaChick C]

I have a mother penhen with two lovely peachicks. They are now six weeks old and are big and healthy. They follow their mother around their large enclosure in the barn.

I have been leery of letting them out into the big world because we lost a couple peachicks last year. One fell in the stock tank and drowned and the other I think was eaten by a barn cat.


Any advise on when its ok to open the door and let their momma raise them out in the barn yard?

 

[zazouse]

Mine are running loose but I have tons of K-9 protection and they go in at night still.
It will depend on your predator load and what kinda trouble they can get themselves into like you have already mentioned.

 

[PeaChick C]

Well, nature decided it was time! Queeny, our old peahen who I was getting worried had wandered off and died, showed up last night with one perfect little peachick under her. So She will go in the big enclosure and the younger mother and her two babies will get to see the big outside world today.

Still leery about the stock drinker but we have plenty of other water sources out by it so I hope to keep them from flying up into it.