Keeping Chickens Free Range

[hennible]

It's the best place to start IMO

 

[SmColorInDaPan]

IF YOU CAN, I have heard locking them up UNTIL they lay, then letting them out, teaches them Where to lay..

I had a similar event recently. The open hen hutch no one uses, 2 eggs inside. Next day, back to original laying box... Leghorn, outcasted hen, NOW likes other laying box, only about 4-5 a week. She's barely 2yrs old? Not sure if in beautiful weather she is laying somewhere else when the urge occurs?
62 today, girls have been all over. Nice To See them foraging again..

How's the the weather for those who were
having it so hard??

 

[katatonic123]

It was great here the last 2 days. So glad the snow has melted away. Hopefully we won't get anymore!

 

[kit carson]

Three weeks ago I wondered if refrigerated eggs put under a broody hen would hatch - so far it looks like the answer is no, unless it just makes them late. Three un-refrigerated eggs under a different hen did hatch successfully yesterday. It's her first time, so she's a little nervous with them, but doing all right so far. It's exciting getting about 18 eggs a day and selling must to friends, although I'm giving away the small ones.

 

[Kendrain]

I'm glad I'm not the only one with questions. But I can tell you what I do. I keep my chcikens in their covered run all day. Unless I'm home. Then they free range in the yard all day. They go back into the coop every night. And I always have feed available for them. They just usually eat less when they have been out. I also give them treats scraps, and on the weekends I make them breakfast. Eggs oatmeal raisins herbs. They are healthy, HAPPY. And I am too. I love letting them out sitting down with iced tea or a beer and watch chickenvision with my husband.

 

[dekel18042]

Three weeks ago I wondered if refrigerated eggs put under a broody hen would hatch - so far it looks like the answer is no, unless it just makes them late. Three un-refrigerated eggs under a different hen did hatch successfully yesterday. It's her first time, so she's a little nervous with them, but doing all right so far. It's exciting getting about 18 eggs a day and selling must to friends, although I'm giving away the small ones.

I've never put any under a broody hen, but several times I have pulled eggs from the refrigerator and they have hatched. Usually it was because I was starting to collect eggs for the incubator and there was a one in the fridge I wanted to hatch or I was ready to put eggs in the incubator and I wanted one or two more and the hens stopped laying for the day so I grabbed them from the fridge.
There is a thread on here from people who routinely hatch Trader Joe's eggs and they've probably been refrigerated for a while and I think some of them have used broodies. That's one of the things on my list for another year.

 

[mossyroo]

Added a pop door to my run that allowed movement from run into horse & goat stalls. Kept stall gate closed for a couple days and they enjoyed the new room and were good about putting themselves to bed back in the coop. Opened the gate and let them into the pasture yesterday afternoon for the first time. 7 of the 9 made it back in for bed but 2 had gotten outside the pasture fence and couldn't find their way back. Don't know if they went over, under, or through. Will have to watch some more.

 

[chickengr]

Added a pop door to my run that allowed movement from run into horse & goat stalls. Kept stall gate closed for a couple days and they enjoyed the new room and were good about putting themselves to bed back in the coop. Opened the gate and let them into the pasture yesterday afternoon for the first time. 7 of the 9 made it back in for bed but 2 had gotten outside the pasture fence and couldn't find their way back. Don't know if they went over, under, or through. Will have to watch some more.

I hope they return!

 

[mossyroo]

I hope they return!

I got em in

 

[saraclassic]

Darn, i was on look out for local rogue chickens. Lol