Afraid to free range, how to gather them up???????????

[diverkell]

I'm glad you like it. It works great. They are smart animals. It won't take long.

 

[halo]

When I first start free ranging my babies, I take some chicken wire and metal poles from Lowes and make a smaller run that they can go from the coop to the run. That way they get used to going out and free ranging, and its easy for me to shoo them back in the coop. They learn very quickly to head back when it gets dark. Once they are big enough they get to go out with the big girls, and by then they are used to coming back to the coop. Ive never had a problem with them knowing to come home.

 

[Tam'ra of Rainbow Vortex]

I only had a problem with 3 of my initial 30 not coming in to roost. I had a silver penciled wyandotte who wanted to roost in the tree outside the coop, a columbian who wanted to sleep in the gazebo, and another columbian who slept SOMEWHERE... we could never find her...but the raccoon could. The only reason that fool bird is alive is because my dog saved her repeatedly.
I don't mean to scare you with that. I am just saying its wise to do a head count every night, and watch them. Our coop was a bit crowded when this behavior started (we got straight run chicks and put 11 of the boys into the freezer and rehomed 3 later) so that could have had an effect.
I also must caution you about flying predators! The first week of ranging my 12 week olds, my favorite pullet was snatched right up out of the yard... found a few broken feathers and that was all. My dog didn't even see it happen. Provide cover when you do free range them... and watch out for crows till the chicks are bigger than they are.
But as far as gathering them, mine come running when I talk to them. They don't like to be touched, but they know we feed them and they are infinitly curious. All I have to do is say "Hello, chickens!" and they will run from the farthes reaches of their half-acre yard to greet me. Even the most shy will come. Just spoil them when you visit, and they will always be happy to see you.

 

[KatieH]

We have a big fenced in back yard. It's easy to round them up at night, they usually wander in when it starts getting dark, anyway, and if not we shake a container of oats and they follow us right in!

 

[Jeeper1540]

i let mine free range around 15-16 weeks.

mine are good enough all i have to do is call them and sometimes put a treat in the coop and they go running. i usually have to push the ducks, and sometimes theres a hen who was off doing her own thing, and doesnt notice everyone running in the coop. in that case, i walk over and pick her up and carry her to the coop.

 

[Tiss]

I started letting mine free range around 6 weeks. They didn't get far from the coop. I always kept the food and water back in the run and have never had a problem with them going home for the night.

At 21 weeks now, they have taken to spending their days under my deck and return home to lay eggs, eat (when they aren't eating out of my compost bin) and roost for the night.

Good luck!!!

 

[sheilawagner]

We have 9 outdoor free ranging chickens. They have been roosting in the trees following the dutch Bantam hen who is the alpha hen. A week ago, we finished building our coop and run, and had to teach them all how to go 'home'. First we called them to the run with food. They always came when I made a sound, "cuckoo cuckoo". They know it is their call to food. So I lured them into the enclosed run, and made sure all were in there in the evening time and I locked them in the run and the attached chicken coop for 3 days and nights. During these 3 days and nights, we made sure they had plenty to eat, had lots of luxuries to keep occupied and we made sure they went into the coop to roost. The first night, the husband had to handle a few of the chickens and throw them into the coop, then they just went up the perches naturally. After that, it became automatic.

On the 4th morning, I let them all out to free range as per before. In the evening time, again, I would call them to the run with my sound. They came and same thing, we locked them in. The wilder dutch bantam hen and her son refused to go into the run, I think they were so used to sleeping in the tree, but I 'herded' them into the run while mum kept feeding them cereals. Once they were all in, same thing, we shut them in till the morning time. Now this is regular behavior and they are getting used to the routine of getting out to free range in the morning, and then going home at dusk. They love their coop and run so much, they even voluntarily go into the run during the daytime to chill and hang out. Only the dutch bantam hen is laying, so her nest box is also in the run.

We have 10 Polish growers and 7 Cochin bantams that we plan to put out soon. We will introduce them to the outdoors first slowly, moving the brooder to the porch for a few minutes each day and then lengthening that period. Once they reach adult size and have all their adult feathers, we will move them into the enclosed run, and keep them in there for a few days and nights so they learn where is their home. Then after a few days, they can free range like the adults do.

A step by step process may work better since the chickens need to learn everything. Including where the pop door is, how to go up a ramp to their coop, how to climb a ramp to perch, how to perch on a roost etc.