How soon, or how long.....?

[BigBlueHen53]

What I need to know is, how long do my almost-8 week old chicklets need to stay "cooped up" in the halfway house we got for them before we can open the doors and let them "free range" in the little pen it's in during the day? The halfway house is actually just a little 6x8' Suncast storage shed and the yard is maybe 30x40'. Surely they can't get lost or bewildered in that small of a space? We will leave their food and water in the shed, along with their little roosts. The yard is safe from predators. The shed is too small to leave them cooped up in it all day. When it rains we have to keep the top closed and it gets rather hot and stuffy in there. When it's sunny we can open the top but it's still hot. You don't need to tell me this was not a great plan! It's one of those deals that seemed like a good idea at the time. As a chicken coop, this thing makes a great storage shed. But if we can open the doors so the little girlies can come and go during the day, it'll do for now until they are ready to move in with the Big Girls. What do y'all think?

 

[Doc7]

Now. My chicks turn 3 weeks old on this coming monday and have been free ranging between their coop and run for days now. Today I also opened the doors between their coop and the hen coop, and their run and the hen run. It’s going great!

 

[SueT]

They'll be fine. They're big kids now.

 

[Mrs. K]

As long as the run is attached to the coop, I don't lock them in the coop, precisely for the reason stated - too hot and stuffy. Chickens IMO need fresh air and sunshine. They may not go back into the coop at dark, but once they are asleep, just put them back in the coop. In a couple of days they will figure it out.

 

[Raptorsgocluck]

Usually I let mine start to free range at 3 weeks. Just open the door and let them do their own thing. They will explore at their own pace and at that age are smart enough to find their way back into their home (in your case the halfway house). I have a similar setup with the outdoor halfway house so the adults and new babies can see each other but are still sperated. My basic guidelines are the Week 1 in the baby brooder inside. Week 2 outside in the halfway house closed up. (If it's warm enough of course.) Week 3 the door opens for them to explore and bond with the adults. Then depending on how well they have integrated with the flock they eventually get locked out of the halfway house and find their places in the adult coop. That's a watch and see how it's going kind of situation, but it's Usually around week 6.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Whew! Thank you! Thank you all so much!

We will be in church the early part of the day tomorrow, but when we get home a little after noon, we will open them up and let them have their first tastes of freedom, fresh air, sunshine, forage and bugs! We will sit on the back porch and watch them, it should be so fun, can't wait! *sniff* our little girlies are growing up!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

As long as the run is attached to the coop, I don't lock them in the coop, precisely for the reason stated - too hot and stuffy. Chickens IMO need fresh air and sunshine. They may not go back into the coop at dark, but once they are asleep, just put them back in the coop. In a couple of days they will figure it out.

The coop is in the middle of the run. It's only about 4' high, lower than the fence around the run. We didn't want it against the side of the run last they fly to the top of the coop and then effect a Great Escape by flapping over the fence, lol.... so it is kind of in the middle of the exercise pen. We are hoping they won't get too adventurous. And if they do, they will only end up in the Big Girls' pen not Rio de Janiero.

 

[Raptorsgocluck]

Whew! Thank you! Thank you all so much!

We will be in church the early part of the day tomorrow, but when we get home a little after noon, we will open them up and let them have their first tastes of freedom, fresh air, sunshine, forage and bugs! We will sit on the back porch and watch them, it should be so fun, can't wait! *sniff* our little girlies are growing up!

They grow up so fast too! It is definitely lots of fun watching them explore their new and exciting place. I always get a few good laughs out of it.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

We opened the front doors and let them out. Chickens are not brave, lol. It took a bit for the first few to poke their heads out and explore, and longer for the more timid ones to follow them. We scattered a few mealworms on the grass in front of their "coop" to encourage them and eventually most of them made it out. They discovered small winged prey to chase, apparently tiny gnats, what we call "no-see-ums." They see um just fine, and it was a hoot watching them chase them. They look enough like chickens that the cats show no interest in them. I think they are going to be just fine! Whew, what a relief!