Hello I've only been into chickens for the past few months. I love it very fun. My chickens are free range but lately they are wondering out of my yard. My Neigbors are great and just call me to come get my chickens. They come to me when called I feed lots of fun stuff they will follow me around the yard while I'm working in it in hopes of a nice tasty bug. They go to the coop every night no issues. Today I can't keep them out of my Neigbors yard. I've been trying no success to get them back into there pen for over two hours. If I'm able to get one in another escapes. How do you train your flock to go in the pen when you want.
Can't get my chickens in pen when I want.
- Thread starter Rob Tof
- Start date
I would build a fence out of chicken wire to keep them in the yard. Chickens will range out to get good things if they can.
Remember the proverb: "Good fences make good neighbors"
Remember the proverb: "Good fences make good neighbors"
2x Got tired of neighbors dogs coming into my yard....Fenced & Hubby built my girls 8x12x7 Run/Coop. Now to get the neighbor dogs (pits) to quit charging the fence 
but my girls are safe as is my Chi.
but my girls are safe as is my Chi.
You can train them to come to you with the 'rattling treat can'...but that is often only partially successful. Them more they range, the farther they will go, and that rattling treat can may not trump their desire to forage elsewhere. You may have to fence them into your yard or keep them confined to a run most the time. It is your responsibility to keep your animals contained to your property.
Hot wire
A number #10 tin can with a cup of whole shelled corn and a cup of Kibbles dog or cat food makes a great chicken call. Just rattle the contents of the can loudly and dish out a crumb or two of the treats when your chickens come-a-running. Dog food and shelled corn is the real reason that the chicken crossed the road. It certainly wasn't to show the armadillo that it could be safely crossed.
As it ages an adventurous strain of chicken will "FREE RANGE" over a territory of about one-half-of-a-mile square. While chickens that waddles instead of walks may only range over an area of about 25 acres. This is assuming that they must find all or almost all of their own groceries or else go hungry. Keep this in mind when supposedly "FREE RANGING" your flock.
As it ages an adventurous strain of chicken will "FREE RANGE" over a territory of about one-half-of-a-mile square. While chickens that waddles instead of walks may only range over an area of about 25 acres. This is assuming that they must find all or almost all of their own groceries or else go hungry. Keep this in mind when supposedly "FREE RANGING" your flock.
The first time I let my girls free range. I had to stuff them into a large dog carrier to get them back to the pen.
Since then I let them out to free range, 2 hours before sunset and they come back to pen, around sunset. The first 5 days, I had to show 1 or more where the open gate was. Since day 6 all 5 find their way back, for a couple of weeks now, yea. Your results will vary. GC
Since then I let them out to free range, 2 hours before sunset and they come back to pen, around sunset. The first 5 days, I had to show 1 or more where the open gate was. Since day 6 all 5 find their way back, for a couple of weeks now, yea. Your results will vary. GC
One thing that I find helpful is to only use scratch when trying to corral the flock. It's also helpful if you have "multiple containment systems". My old coop is a cattle panel with a loft coop. Below the loft, and in front of it is the "secure run". There is a door separating the secure run from the "vestibule" which is not safe from night time visitors. So, when corraling birds to that coop/run, I can get the main stampede into the secure run, and use the vestibule to corral any late comers. Every time a few stragglers show up, I let them into the vestibule, then move them into the secure run. Works like a charm. I can do the same thing with my big coop/run by enticing the main stampede into the run, then closing the pop door and using the coop to corral the remaining timid birds or late comers. Most runs could easily be adapted with a 2 section area so you can corral the main flock while waiting for the late comers.
- Thread starter
- #8
I have a coop and run mad out of a trampoline. I have posted pic of it in the coop section. I provide pellets in there enclosure all day with water both in and out in my yard. My girls love to be out of there enclosure. They do roost in there coop each night before I put them to bed for the night. I close there coop up so no animals get to them at night.
Why don't you fence your yard? Makes getting them to come home way easier. Dosent even have to be a proper fence, that plastic netting secured to poles works fine.A fence is a fence to a chicken.
Some parts of the country do not fence their yards. I was surprised to see this in Missouri. Out here in California, everyone has a fence, especially in the City
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