Chook Me!

How do i get my chicks ready to go outside?

I have their coop ready, but i'm not sure how to prepare them to begin sleeping on their own and outside, and such. I'm kinda nervous because of all the neighborhood animals. I want to make sure they stay safe, but i also want them to have freedom. How can i train them to go out during the day and come back at night? These chicks will in no way every be eaten by a human. They are pets, not food, so any advice must be in the terms that i treat them humanely and want them to be safe and happy.

Public Comments

1. Fully grown and feathered chicks will come in at night as they do not have night vision. Have the coop in a secure fence and close the coop, making it rat and weasel proof, at night. I use 1/2 inch square fencing as it is small enough to keep mice out. I also laid a foot wide piece of fencing around the fence bottom to discourage animals digging under. If your fence is sturdy and as above you need not close them in at night as the whole fence will be mouse secure. Make certain that the gate tight and securely latched closed.
2. Good question. I too have chickens that I care for and allow them to free range during the day. Mine too live long lives here as I am a vegetarian. The oldest was 11 years old. The main thing you want to do is have the coop critter-proofed. The fenced area, if there is one, should have at least 4" of fencing below ground level to keep animals from digging under the fence. A covered pen is best since hawks can fly into a pen and get a chicken. All the fencing should be at least 4' high to keep any dogs and dog-type animals from jumping over it. About the coop/shelter itself...the coop should have a floor or the walls or foundation of the coop should also extend below ground level to again, keep animals from digging under and getting inside. The coop should have a window or some form of ventilation. In the Summer, the coop will heat up alot. Chickens will naturally get up with the sun and want to come outside. They also know when it's time to return to the coop and do that well before dark on their own. Before it's dark each night, the coop should be locked up so the chickens can't get out and nothing can get in. To get them used to the coop, I would wait until they are big enough to not get chilled by the nightime coolness. That should be by 6-8 weeks old or so. They should be feathered out well before you move them outdoors. I would not immediately let them out, but instead, let them live in the closed coop for a few days and get used to that. If you have a pen attached to the coop, then you can start letting them into that first, until they are 4-5 months old. Then you can start letting them free range the yard after you open the coop in the morning. Just do not forget to lock the coop up tight every evening. Over the many years that I have had chickens, I mistakenly forgot to close the coop at night and in the morning, found a chicken dead, mauled by some nighttime critter. Do not let this happen to yours. The way I do not forget anymore is...I found a small block of wood, 2" x 4". On one side I wrote in big black marker..."chickens open" on the other side "chickens closed". I leave this on my kitchen cupboard and see it all day. After I open them in the morning, the board reads "open". This reminds me that they still need to be closed. I will not forget again!