4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[eggregiousness]

My two cochin girls are 10 weeks old and quite clearly have only one aim in life - to get into the garden . How old should they be before I can let them out all day? We do have lots of domestic cats round here, plus what may be an ocelot (I know there's nothing I can do about that one!) I have been too scared to let them out of the run at all so far. Your collective expertise would be much appreciated

[sparkysmum]

We've let ours out from the start. Our new chicks were about 12 wks maybe when we got them & they've been fine. Only problem is the've started flying

[eggregiousness]

My chicks don't have any older hens to copy. Do you think that could be a problem? By the way, I thought cochins couldn't fly but yesterday one of the girls very definitely flew from one end of the run to the other (about 8 feet)

[sjp]

i stared letting my 3 youngsters out a 12 weeks they were 10 when i got them.

there about 16-17 weeks now and I still don't leave them unattended due to the local cats

they don't need older girls to so the the ropes in fact mine are teaching the older ones how to fly and jump up on to the lower run. they also teach them that theres more to eat than pelets and grass in the garden