When to let the chicks free roam?

[lmh317]

I have 11 adults layers and 1 rooster. Decided I was ready to raise chicks this year. The twenty chicks are 11 weeks old and fully feathered. They are currently housed in a very large stall in the barn.

3 weeks ago, we rigged a temporary pen outside the stall door (but still inside the barn) so they can go in and out of the stall as they please but they also have visual and pecking access to the 11 older girls (plus the rooster). I scatter feed on both sides of the temporary fence so they have been eating together.

The older chickens are totally free-range on our acreage. They go in at night with no problems.

My questions: When can I let the littles out of the pen to free-range as well. Have I socialized them enough? Will they go back in at night? Do I need to worry about the rooster hurting them? Thanks in advance!

 

[Aapomp831]

Create a “panic room” where the opening is just big enough for the chicks to get through but not the larger hens. You can use a piece of fencing or a large dog crate in which they can fit through the rungs but the bigger ones can’t. Just supervise the first couple of times bc my bigger girls actually squeezed through into the panic room area... to get to the chick food though.

 

[lmh317]

Create a “panic room” where the opening is just big enough for the chicks to get through but not the larger hens. You can use a piece of fencing or a large dog crate in which they can fit through the rungs but the bigger ones can’t. Just supervise the first couple of times bc my bigger girls actually squeezed through into the panic room area... to get to the chick food though.

Do I place it near their stall? or would you suggest outside the barn so they have a place outside to run in to?

 

[Aapomp831]

Well, personally I would do it close to the stall at first and then maybe move it a couple of feet each day? You would want them to know what it’s intended purpose is which is why I would place them all in there first and then open the door a little bit and see what they do. I would also leave food and water in there so they associate it with a safe place to go. But since they have that huge stall, I think you should use a piece of plywood or something that you can cut a small hole in the bottom of and place in front of the stall since the chicks already associate that place with home and safety. But definitely always supervise the first few times to make sure nobody gets chased into a corner or something.

 

[Aapomp831]

.... plus they need a place where they can eat their chick food. The adult hens LOVE chick food and will eat it all, forcing your babies to eat layer pellets.