Advice for free-ranging?

[Chirpy]

The best way to start letting your free ranging is to keep them locked up for at least a week (two is better) in the coop so they know where home is. (You've certainly already met this criteria.)

Then, I would suggest letting them out about two hours before sundown the first two or three days. That way, they will probably stay close as it's new to them and they should go back to the coop to roost for the night at sundown. Definitely keep an eye on them for the first few days to see how things go.

I taught my chickens to come running when I holler - "here chick, chick, chick" by giving them treats and saying that. So, if I need mine to come in earlier than sundown I just holler that and they all come running to the coop.

You can let the out for longer periods of time when it works for you. I only let mine out for a half a day or a few hours each day as I have to lock up my dogs when the chickens are out.

No matter what anyone says ... never trust your dog with the chickens. So many people here have had a dog that they knew would never touch their chickens and one day (sometimes months after they've had chickens and dog together) ... the dog remembers what dogs do and they lose a chicken! There are a few dogs that won't mess with them but ... only a few and it's not worth the risk (IMO) of losing a chicken to a dog and then being mad at the dog.

Finally, do remember also that you could lose a chicken to a predator much easier when they are free ranging.

Let em out and enjoy watching them LOVE their freedom!

 

[Mattake2]

Quote:
Sounds like great advice!

 

[Ellie]

I am only 9 months into this myself but everything has worked out perfectly thanks to this forum and the advice I get from it.

I let my 6 week old chicks out for an hour with my supervison only an hour before dusk.. I did this for a few days and then gradually increased it a couple of hours, and then they were out all day. Finally, they were and are out all day with no supervision during the week while I work.

They have never stayed out and not come back and I am either lucky, or the forum provided great advice. I think the latter.

Hope this helps,
Ellie

 

[Ellie]

Oops, Chirpy and I were writing at the same time.

 

[pbjmaker]

I let my 6 week olds out all day and even my neighbor commented on how they don't wander very far from their temporary home. I am home for most the day so I just check on them once in a while. Today I found my RIR actually stalking my cat...

 

[hcammack]

My girls get supervised free range amount depends on when I am home. during school they get to go out in the afternoon but right now they are out from dawn until dusk.

Henry

 

[Hensense]

Mine free range for what ever time I have available to be in supervising range. Cannot leave them out when not at home.
Young 'uns will not travel far from coop in the beginning and that is perhaps why no one has lost any to predators yet...
It's not a matter of if, it's a matter of when. You will lose chickens if you leave them unattended eventually.

 

[pbjmaker]

Thus I am working on my coop design and plan to start it ASAP...

I am fortunate that althought I live in the city I only see a stray dog or cat in my yard every couple of years. My biggest concern is raccoons. There is one we have named Guido and we think he runs a poker club at night in the storm drain next to our house.

 

[portlandpeeps]

We live in the city, but our girls free range (or whatever you call it when you live on a city lot). I work at home, so I check on them several times a day. Our border collie considers them her charges too, so she watches them very carefully. We trained her when she was a puppy with a little bop on the nose that chickens were off limits for chasing (cats and squirrels don't get the same treatment). Our pullets stayed in the coop for 2 weeks before we let them out. They always put themselves to bed at night. Free range chickens are happy chickens!

 

[pvc coop]

I take a friendly one with me when I'm outside for awhile.