Addicted to free range!

[mclanea]

We're having a somewhat comical thing with our little flock of 3 RIR hens. They've been in their coop/run exclusively since about 8 weeks old, they are 16 weeks now, but I've started letting them out in our backyard for an hour or so of free range time each day.

There's really no problem to it. I just crack up because any time I go anywhere near the coop they all line up for me to open up the door and let them out. And periodically throughout the day I hear them pecking on the door... "LET US OUT!" Unless I'm bringing them strawberries or watermelon... then they are cool with staying in there.

Am I creating a monster here? Now that they've been free ranging a bit are they going to get ornery if I stop doing it?

 

[Flock Master64]

My six hens have never been out of their run. I'm considering letting them free range for part of day when I have time to supervise them however I'm afraid they will run off and not come back? Is this a legitimate concern or will they stay somewhat close to the coop and run?

I have 7 chickens, 4 hens 2 pullets and 1 cockerel. I live on 11 acres and I let my hens and cockerel few range all day and every night they come back into the coop on their own. One thing I would recommend about free ranging is make sure they have water out in the yard that they can drink. Mine are lazy and won't go back to the coop/run unless their ready for bed or want to lay an egg so I have to bring water to them. Oh yeah, the reason I let my cockerel free range and not my pullets are, my cockerel is a very large breed and at 2 months he is larger then my full grown hens so I'm sure he can take care of himself, the pullets aren't so big, their harder to catch and my hens pick on them sometimes

 

[mechanic57]

My six hens have never been out of their run. I'm considering letting them free range for part of day when I have time to supervise them however I'm afraid they will run off and not come back? Is this a legitimate concern or will they stay somewhat close to the coop and run?

When you first let them out, they won't go far. The more you let them out, they will gradually get more familiar with the area and start wandering further from the run but they will come back as it gets dark. They know where home is. I've had my run door get blown shut, locking out the chickens while I wasn't home. I got home just after dark and went to shut and half were all huddled together on the ground outside the door and the rest were roosting in the tree just outside the door because that was as close as they could get to home. They can't see in the dark so they just bed down and sleep. It was easy to pick them up and put them in the coop.

I don't let them free range all day anymore. Seemed like the more time in the day they had, the further they wander. I've caught them coming off someone else's property pretty far away. I live in the woods and have acres for them to roam but I don't want them wandering further because some people have dogs. If I let them out for about 3 hours before dark, they stay on my land. If I let them out at first light every day, they would be a mile away by noon. Too much more of a chance for them to wander into contact with predators.

 

[chickens really]

Weather they were out 1 hour or all day?? They will always want back out.....They love to be out to forage as that is a natural thing for chickens to do.....


We are all mean in a chickens mind.....

 

[BruceAZ]

i had chickens for about 5 months now.. they caused more problems to my backyard than my dog (who have been with us for 14+ years)

we have golf size rocks covering the ground (a common way to prevent weeds in Arizona+ to save water on grass).. now i'm seeing these trends along the walls and concrete paths.etc..

they took over my raised garden bed.. most of the plants died.. except for basil..

 

[amynrichie]

My six hens have never been out of their run. I'm considering letting them free range for part of day when I have time to supervise them however I'm afraid they will run off and not come back? Is this a legitimate concern or will they stay somewhat close to the coop and run?

They will stay close. Try it about an hour before sunset. They will go right back in the coop to roost when it gets dark.

 

[bucky52]

Chickens are creatures of habit.I have always let mine out after I get home from work.6:30 every evening.And boy do they let me know.I call them my little zombies because they are crowding the door.I have 8 older hens..And I have 4 young hens that were a year old this past May.The younger hens will stay out all of 10 minutes .they go back in and wait for me to close their run door.My husband and I supervise my hens when they free range.Due to a large number of Hawks in the area.

 

[Flock Master64]

Chickens are creatures of habit.I have always let mine out after I get home from work.6:30 every evening.And boy do they let me know.I call them my little zombies because they are crowding the door.I have 8 older hens..And I have 4 young hens that were a year old this past May.The younger hens will stay out all of 10 minutes .they go back in and wait for me to close their run door.My husband and I supervise my hens when they free range.Due to a large number of Hawks in the area.

Mine are the same, I too have many predatory birds around here and when I do see them I scare them off with my drone

 

[carlf]

Mine are the same way. Dont worry, they wont get ornery, just will fuss when you dont let them out.
I keep mine in every now & then for a couple of days. Sometimes for 2 weeks if are on vacation and someone else is taking care of them. They are happy to get out when we get back, but content when they have to stay in.
Mine love watermelon rinds.

 

[mclanea]

Mine are the same way. Dont worry, they wont get ornery, just will fuss when you dont let them out.
I keep mine in every now & then for a couple of days. Sometimes for 2 weeks if are on vacation and someone else is taking care of them. They are happy to get out when we get back, but content when they have to stay in.
Mine love watermelon rinds.

Ah, thanks. That's helpful!

Also, mine eat the red bits but won't touch the rinds. And they fight over the strawberry tops. They crack me up.