Single hen

[hasnett]

Hi everyone,

 

My bantams are 11 weeks old, are they too young to freerange? I am at home all day Saturday so would like to let them out in the afternoon (once they've filled up on growers pellets!)...do you think they are old enough? They have started to make a dash for freedom if i try and open the door to the run..

 

thanks,

[UkButton]

Mine were about 12 weeks when I got them and I let them free range straight away and had no problems... I find that they are quite cautious anyway so a bid for freedom is unlikely

[Janepie33]

I have had 2 ten and a half week old ISA Browns since Monday and they have been free ranging for short periods of time since Tuesday, mainly to introduce them to my recently bereaved Bluebell, Tilly, on neutral territory.

They are so excited about scratching about together, that they don't bother to go far and they are so engrosed in what they are doing, that they are very easy to catch.

My husband has put up some chicken wire to stop them popping through little holes to places they shouldn't be and they have a separate enclosed run for when we can't be with them in the garden, as a small black cat has taken a fancy to them. Tilly just clucks and chases it away, but as the cat has caught and killed a pigeon in my garden, I think the babies wouldn't stand a chance.

 

Jane