silverlakefarm
Hatching
- Jun 4, 2017
- 6
- 0
- 2
Hello Wise Chicken Owners,
I am new to chicken raising, and have had pullets since late Feb. I have 7 hens of a variety of ages and breeds, and no rooster.
My farm set up as a large bank barn close to the road, then the house farther back. We do have residential houses directly across the streets on larger lots.
I've had the coop set up on the house side of the barn, and all has been well. Chickens free range during the day and get locked in at night. Love seeing them around the farm. Being beside the large bank barn gives them some security from predators and weather. Started with first keeping them in the coop exclusively, and worked up to free range over time.
Fast forward to this week...
However, they now are getting brave and have started crossing the road to the neighbors. Of course this is not a safe or fair thing to expect of my neighbors who have nice mulched gardens and dogs.
What do you all recommend? Any tricks for keeping them closer to home? I could set up a permanent run for them by barn and keep them locked up all the time (which would be a bummer). If so, how much of a run should I plan for, was thinking of using a dog kennel 10x10 for a run. Is 4ft fence futile?
I could also move the coop to a place much farther from the road (in the back of the farm, probably more of a predator area), and hope that deters them from seeking the longer trip down the driveway and across the street...
Would a rooster round them up and keep them closer?
Appreciate any tricks or advice!
I am new to chicken raising, and have had pullets since late Feb. I have 7 hens of a variety of ages and breeds, and no rooster.
My farm set up as a large bank barn close to the road, then the house farther back. We do have residential houses directly across the streets on larger lots.
I've had the coop set up on the house side of the barn, and all has been well. Chickens free range during the day and get locked in at night. Love seeing them around the farm. Being beside the large bank barn gives them some security from predators and weather. Started with first keeping them in the coop exclusively, and worked up to free range over time.
Fast forward to this week...
However, they now are getting brave and have started crossing the road to the neighbors. Of course this is not a safe or fair thing to expect of my neighbors who have nice mulched gardens and dogs.
What do you all recommend? Any tricks for keeping them closer to home? I could set up a permanent run for them by barn and keep them locked up all the time (which would be a bummer). If so, how much of a run should I plan for, was thinking of using a dog kennel 10x10 for a run. Is 4ft fence futile?
I could also move the coop to a place much farther from the road (in the back of the farm, probably more of a predator area), and hope that deters them from seeking the longer trip down the driveway and across the street...
Would a rooster round them up and keep them closer?
Appreciate any tricks or advice!
