Bored Chickens

[jwankowski]

My hens have a large coop and run area but seem bored. I was thinking of leaving the coop door open and let them roam the yard but am concerned that they may not return to the coop, and then I will have to chase them and recapture. Adjoining neighbors also have chickens, some that roam freely. Suggestions please.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

They will return to their sleeping spot before roost time.. they are very much creatures of habit... It's never been an issue... ONCE birds/chicks are homed to their coop.

If the neighbors have roosters... they may mate your hens. If they have hens... there may or may not be confrontations between your birds to establish a pecking order. How close are they?

Beware of roaming domestic dogs as they are a number one chicken hunter for fun not food.

The birds returning to the coop is likely the least of the worries.. according to my experience.

 

[azygous]

Clicker or whistle train your chickens to come to you when they hear the clicker. Buy one for $1 at Petsmart.

Just a few minutes ago, I saw that three of my youngest flock were up near the neighbors where mountain lions and coyotes love to hang. I grabbed the clicker and instead of running all the way up the mountain to get them, I just stood at the run and clicked them back home. Each time I use the clicker I reinforce their compliance with a treat.

You can train yours in just a few minutes using treats. Click as you offer them. Reinforce each time you use the clicker. It sure beats chasing them down.

Chickens usually remain within eye sight of their run so they can run back to safety if they see a predator. It's very rare for chickens to run off and get lost.

 

[rosemarythyme]

They should return to the coop just fine, but what's your tolerance for predator loss? Free ranging comes with a higher risk of predators.