Addicted to free range!

[aart]

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.

Very good advice.

 

[BruceAZ]

it will depend on the breed

they will get used to being let out and will start to make noises after a while

once you let them free range it's hard to go back

my chickens are now free ranging all day.. but now i have to deal with the manure all over the place and dead garden plants.. etc..

depending on what you gave them... chicken manure on concrete or pavers is a pain to remove

 

[tmarsh83]

I've had similar reactions from my birds in the last month as the garden got to the point that they could cause real damage to the harvest, and I wasn't able to fence it this year. They had just been getting yard time for about two or three weeks before they went back to lockdown. I'm giving them the last hour or two before dusk a couple times a week because they prefer to hit the field edge and the litter under the pine tree before they make it to the garden, and that's about the time it takes for them to remember the low hanging tomatoes are there.

Like yours they gripe when I walked out with salsa remains and don't let them out. They quickly forget when there are pepper cores to fight over.

Any animal I've ever raised has been that way. Hogs, dogs, horses. Once they taste freedom...it's all they want....

 

[mclanea]

Thanks all. Really helps to hear from folks on the same journey

 

[mclanea]

One of the funny things about this whole free ranging thing has been that they watch us in the house. If they see me move AT ALL in the house I hear the leader of the flock, Sour, start making noise... I think she's like, "Yo. We'd love this door opened up!"

In related news, our pup is getting more and more relaxed around them.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BJ_u82RBtWo/

 

[nursesoc]

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?

 

[mclanea]

Mine can't get out of the yard, we have 6 ft walls. Do you have a fence or anything?

 

[nursesoc]

no fence I'm on about 1.5 acres surrounded by corn fields I am off the road quite a ways but I think I'm gonna wait until they take the corn off because if they get in there I will never find them.

 

[mclanea]

Since they just started laying I'm trying to keep them in the coop a bit more I don't really like going on an easter egg hunt.

And boy do they let me know they aren't getting out as much this week as last. Every time they see me over (my office is like 30 feet from them!) they make a big old racket. Funny stuff.

 

[BruceAZ]

Mine can't get out of the yard, we have 6 ft walls. Do you have a fence or anything?

they can fly over that 6ft wall.. i saw them do it once or twice..

but if you keep the food and water in the middle of the yard.. they will stay in the yard instead of flying into the neighbors'

either that or trim their wings