When to let them out in MY run?

[afj6710]

Our coop is pretty big - about 12x20 - and we've been keeping our chicks in there 24/7. We let them in the run once, supervised by DH. I really want to let them have more time in the run, in the sun, and foraging for food, but I'm nervous about how not secure our run is. It is uncovered and the sides are almost 5' chicken wire with a small tree in one corner. We know it needs to be covered and the tree needs to come down and maybe even make the sides more secure. But, that requires time and $ that we don't have right now.

Our chicks range from about 7 weeks (we think, unsure on the mutts) to about 14 weeks (a cockeral). Would they be ok for a couple of hours a day in the run unsupervised? With 3 small kids, I really don't have the opportunity to just sit out there and watch them in the run. Do you think they would fly out? What daytime predators do I need to worry about?

 

[fishin-nole]

Take the kids out with you, they need the sun andfresh air too. As hot as it is now I only let mine out in the evenings a few hours, they had rather stay under the coop where it's cool.

 

[afj6710]

My kids definitely get plenty of fresh air and sun, even with the 100 degree temps we've been having.

Our coop is kind of far back from the house and really far from the kids' play area. There isn't anywhere for the kids to play near the coop as that area of the property is really, really badly grown up and kind of snake-y right now. Other than the paths cut to the coop and pear trees, *I* won't even walk around back there. We need FIL's tractor back there but he has been in the hospital with heart problems.

Thank you for the suggestion, though!