Chickens return to coop ?

[AWolChic]

Hello. First time to have chickens. I have 6 chicks all about 2 1/2 months old. I have an a-frame coop and 7x4 enclosed run. Is it true that if I let them out to free range in yard (fenced backyard w 6'wood fence) will they return to the coop/run at dark on their own ? I know may be silly question but I've never had chickens before. In the Tulsa OK area. Thanks

 

[MyChickenShack]

I have only had chickens for about 1 year, but my husband has had them before. Our chickens free range.. I let them out around 7:30 and they come back in at dusk. Then I lock them up to keep out predators. With that said...when we first letting them out, they were slow to go back in and in fact tried to roost on my bench outside the coop and on the steps. For the first few weeks that we let them out last year, we usually had to go out and pick some of them up and put them on the roost til they got the idea. Now, if we had of had older chickens that they could have modeled after, they probably wouldn't have had to have that much help. I have baby chicks this year and mama hen will show them how to do everything. My chick I got last year were mail order and no other older ones to learn from. It didn't take long and they got the idea and they just go in and roost on their own. Best of luck. You will do fine.

 

[Flamens Farm]

Hello. First time to have chickens. I have 6 chicks all about 2 1/2 months old. I have an a-frame coop and 7x4 enclosed run. Is it true that if I let them out to free range in yard (fenced backyard w 6'wood fence) will they return to the coop/run at dark on their own ? I know may be silly question but I've never had chickens before. In the Tulsa OK area. Thanks

I never had a problem with then not going back to their coop when mine free ranged.

 

[Peppercorngal]

If you have had them in the same run and coop since they were days old they will automatically return "home" after free ranging. It's all they know!

 

[AWolChic]

Thanks for the replies ! They have all been outside in the same coop/run for al little over 1month.

 

[aart]

You can start them free ranging for the first time late in the day,
30-60 minutes before they normally go to roost.
They won't go too far at first and you'll see that they get back to the coop to roost.
Subsequent days let them out a bit earlier, and so on and so on.

 

[AWolChic]

O great idea !

 

[AWolChic]

Yay ! I let my chicks out in backyard for 1st time yesterday & they Did go right back to the coop/run around sunset time. I'm so happy now they can be free ! Happy chicks.

 

[AWolChic]

Just a note. I came home for lunchtime today and all 6 of my chicks were on ground of their coop ! There is plenty of different areas in yard where they can get shade but They chose their home. Just thought It was interesting but each day seems something with them. I’m fascinated !

 

[MrPaw]

This is my second time with baby chicks. We took a break and now back in the "chicky way". With my first chicks they were about 6 weeks old, 4 leghorns and 2 RIRs. The two RIRs came back but the leghorns wanted to roost in the nearby pine trees. No coaxing would get them down. After a few days they went back in the roost and no further problems.

Today is the first day of my new chicks being out. They range in age from 9 weeks to 4 weeks. As I could not segregate the big from little waiting until all could go out seemed the best plan. Fingers crossed they all come back in tonight. Worried mommy here!