Hello from Sydney + some questions

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dobbyfreerabbit

dobbyfreerabbit

Hatching
7 Years
Jan 20, 2013
6
0
9
Sydney, Australia
Hello! I am currently chicken-less, but am expecting some unwanted ~12 week pullets this week.

I've been browsing around this forum and it is an absolute wealth of information (and hilarity).

I have a couple of questions:

1) We plan to free range our chickens in our suburban backyard, but we want them to well and truly know where "home" is first. How long should we leave them cooped up for before letting them free range for the first time?

2) I've ordered some dummy eggs online. Should they go in the nest boxes asap, or should I wait until they're closer to point-of-lay?

I'm sure I'll have many more questions when we actually have chickens...
 
Hay hay.I'm semi new to chickens also but have fallen in love with my 3. I generally let the more experienced answer questions. I thought I would never get eggs but I do and in abundance. I use golf balls in the nest.I did put them in around 15 weeks or so.but they acted like the nest were invisible for the longest time and did not use them at first.so far they are not free range.I had to teach them to roost and use the nest.maybe they would have figured it out.but I had to stick my 2cents in.welcome from central Mississippi.
 
Hi and welcome to BYC from northern Michigan
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Keep your birds confined to coop and run until they have settled in and know where they live, and roost on their own at night - probably a couple weeks would be a good idea at that age. That will give you time to socialize them and get them used to coming for treats when called. No need to worry about eggs until they are closer to point-of-lay, probably around 18 weeks.
 
I kept mine confined to coop and run for a week. I was surprised after the first day they 'knew' where to go to roost. At night straight up the ramp they went and to roost.
 

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