Do you supervise your chickens?

[elmo]

I supervise because our chickens are pets and also are tiny bantams that are even vulnerable to neighborhood cats because of their small size.

 

[cackydoodledoo]

Quote:
Mine, and everybody else's I've read about, go back to the coop all on their own. No herding involved. They do it naturally.

I have heard that. My only other concern is that they would fly over my fence. It would be a major job to catch them all and clip their wings. Don't like having to chase them all around as it stresses them out. Maybe I will try it and just supervise.

 

[ginormous chicken]

I believe the proper answer is yes I am supposed to. And that would have stopped the radish sprouts from being devoured today. My chickens have found the veggie bed

!! But no, I let them free range for the most part. If I had a bigger run (hopefully this spring) I probably won't let them range as much. I have a feeling I'll be fencing off areas in the garden with cages for a while!

 

[NonnasBabies]

Quote:
Mine, and everybody else's I've read about, go back to the coop all on their own. No herding involved. They do it naturally.

I have heard that. My only other concern is that they would fly over my fence. It would be a major job to catch them all and clip their wings. Don't like having to chase them all around as it stresses them out. Maybe I will try it and just supervise.

Out of 59 chickens I only had 3 that would get out the yard as soon as I opened their coop/run in the morning. We clipped their wings and they never got out again!!

 

[gryeyes]

I have tried to supervise my chickens, but I don't really know how to do their jobs, so I cannot effectively evaluate their work performance. Looks good to me, though.

. I give them regular bonuses.

 

[BrattishTaz]

I've been forced to lock them up when I am not outside. If I walk inside for a minute the hawks swoop in. I've lost one huge roo and another was attacked.

 

[TigerLilly]

Mine only free-range when I'm home; that is, until we fenced in another part of the back yard I am going to try letting them free-range in that area on a regular basis and see how it goes.

 

[hallerlake]

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[TigerLilly]

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X 2

 

[Luvroos]

I let mine free range all day including a few of my bantams while others are caged! I'm here most all the time and do check on them periodically through out the day. My dogs as well as myself are aware of their danger calls and I grab the 22 and run out the back door just in case! I liked it much better when I had the 5 roos and now with just 2 they run for their lives also.