Daily Schedule ?

[TheGoldenGirlz]

Hi all, do you have schedules that you follow for taking care of your chickens? I feed them in the morning, and let them out to eat grass. In the evening I bring them back in and clean the waterer. I have a small flock of only 4, so I also spend some time loving on them. Again, what do y’all do?

 

[TelfTheElf]

Hello
First thing in the morning i fill their water drinker and feeders and see for any eggs
Then during the day, after lunch, i collect eggs and sometimes let them out to forage and generally wreck our lawn!!!
then i shut them in when it starts getting dark and make sure they are all tucked in!!!

 

[Mrs. K]

Truthfully - I am not much of a schedule person. I do generally get down there twice a day, but have it set up, if life gets in the way, and I only get down there once, everything is fine.

I do not feed 24/7, but rather take it down each day. I check the bowls at night, and adjust how much I bring the next day. I like a little left over.

I do not let them out every day from the run, but the pop up door is open all the time, so they can come out of the coop when they want.

I enjoy them, but am not a slave to them.

Mrs K

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I normally have a lot more than 1 flock of chickens and almost all free range. I currently have about the fewest number of chickens than I've had in years. I have 5 buildings of various sizes and designs. Usually there are from 40 to 100 chickens so my routine is by necessity, much different than most people. Also, by necessity, much has to be automated or in bulk. Right now I have 9 hens and 1 rooster in one building, 12 hens and 1 rooster in another building, a pair that sleep in a tree and refuse to go in at night, another pair in another unit and 3 six week old chicks in another. Every unit has a bulk feeder inside that lasts close to a week. Some are set up with automatic water nipple system but I still put out founts for each group and those are used for occasional inclusion of probiotics and Nutri-Drench. If I will be away for the day, I fill the water founts the night before. I also ferment feed so that is a fairly time consuming endeavor but they always have dry feed available.
Eventually, I need to get automatic doors completed.
Other than providing food and water, I don't give them any loving.

 

[jolenesdad]

I open the door to the coop around 7 and they’re out to range, they share a 1/2 acre paddock with 2 horses. I only make sure they have water then, and there’s always free choice feed.

I go out twice a day on a schedule to give treats. I think it keeps them a little closer and also trains them to come running to my whistle. They can easily escape the area with the horses so if I ever notice them too far I just go out and whistle with some treats.

Half hour before sunset they’re all in the coop so I close the door then and inspect all the girls because they’re much more chill then.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Truthfully - I am not much of a schedule person. I do generally get down there twice a day, but have it set up, if life gets in the way, and I only get down there once, everything is fine.

I do not feed 24/7, but rather take it down each day. I check the bowls at night, and adjust how much I bring the next day. I like a little left over.

I do not let them out every day from the run, but the pop up door is open all the time, so they can come out of the coop when they want.

I enjoy them, but am not a slave to them.

Mrs K

X2

 

[LittleMissCountry]

I have a schedule, but more because it works for me. I am an early riser, so I go out when it is light enough to see (right now 6 a.m.) and bring out their feeder. I don't leave it overnight so as not to attract possum or raccoons. This summer, with the heat as bad as its been, I have left the coop door open so they have more ventilation. Their run is secure. After I put in the food, I clean the nightly poop.
Then leave them in the run until they are done laying. If I am working from home, I put them in the portable run in the yard after they lay, or I let them free range if I can watch them. If I am working out of the house, they stay in the run until around 4 p.m. Then the kids and I let them out to free range until dark. They go back in on their own.

 

[aart]

'Normal' schedule starts when it's full light:
Scratch grains spread in run, open pop door, top off feed and water, scoop poops from boards, empty and/or reset rodent traps.

Egg gathering is sporadic throughout the day depending on other activities and if there's been any laying issues....when new pullets are 'due' it's much more frequent if possible.

Just after dark I go out and lock up pop doors, do a head count, maybe do some exams, check traps, bring all the eggs inside. If I have 'nest sleeping' chicks, I go out an hour before roost time and close off nests, reopening at lock up.

 

[TheGoldenGirlz]

Truthfully - I am not much of a schedule person. I do generally get down there twice a day, but have it set up, if life gets in the way, and I only get down there once, everything is fine.

I do not feed 24/7, but rather take it down each day. I check the bowls at night, and adjust how much I bring the next day. I like a little left over.

I do not let them out every day from the run, but the pop up door is open all the time, so they can come out of the coop when they want.

I enjoy them, but am not a slave to them.

Mrs K

I only feed them once a day, and supply about 1 cup per chicken. They go CRAZY when I put the feed out. Do yours do that when you put the feeders back out? Am I not feeding them enough?

 

[TheGoldenGirlz]

I have a schedule, but more because it works for me. I am an early riser, so I go out when it is light enough to see (right now 6 a.m.) and bring out their feeder. I don't leave it overnight so as not to attract possum or raccoons. This summer, with the heat as bad as its been, I have left the coop door open so they have more ventilation. Their run is secure. After I put in the food, I clean the nightly poop.
Then leave them in the run until they are done laying. If I am working from home, I put them in the portable run in the yard after they lay, or I let them free range if I can watch them. If I am working out of the house, they stay in the run until around 4 p.m. Then the kids and I let them out to free range until dark. They go back in on their own.

Do they go crazy when you feed them? Or just act calmly?