When Is It Okay To Let Them Out...

[cozycrestmom]

Our babies are 7 weeks old now, they are out in their coop and have been for about 2 1/2 weeks now.. We haven't finished the chicken run yet,, we do want to free range them off and on...
My question is, is it okay to free range them at this age? I question if they will know enough to go back inside..LOL I can't believe I'm this worried... I am sure they'll go in,, But I've read stuff on here that some do not... Any advice?

 

[oldchickenlady]

You can turn them out now. Mine have been out since they were about 5 or 6 weeks. I don't have a coop yet, but they do have a totally enclosed run. They have roosting bars (which they use in the day time but not at night) plus I have a big rubber stock tank turned up on its side and raised on bricks inside the run. I put this in there to give them a place to go if there was a strong storm with blowing rain...well, that is where they all sleep at night. I put some shavings in it and they all squat down together and sleep. I have a tarp over the top but the thunderstorms we've been having really do blow that rain! Yours have been in it long enough to 'know' this is where they sleep (or should). I started mine free ranging on my days off so I could keep and eye on them. They did fine and went back into the run on their own. I work 12 hour shifts and found out my husband was trying to 'herd' them back into the coop before he went to work (he works 12 nights). I told him to quit and they would put themselves to bed and I would shut the gate when I got home. He was worried they wouldn't go, but...they did!

 

[snowflake]

:d If The Have Been In The Coop For A While They Will Know Were Home Is And The Go In As Soon As It Starts To Get Dark. I Have A Large Coop With Adult Hens And Rooster, And A Tractor With Teens(12 Week Old) They Have Been Free Ranging In A Limited Area Together For 3 Or 4 Weeks And At Night They All Go Into Their Owen Coop..some Times I Have To Chase The Leg Horns Out Of The Tree, But Then They Go To Their Tractor.

 

[cozycrestmom]

Ohh boy Snowflake, I have 4 Leghorns..
Thanks Ladies