For those who free range

[furbabymum]

I'm wondering how you get your chickens back into the run/coop when it's time. We have 40 acres and it's just 3 string fencing around so it's not going to keep chickens on our property. I'd like to let them out as we have a MASSIVE grasshopper problem every year and it'd be awesome if they took care of it. They don't like to be picked up and I can't see herding 13 chickens back to their run successfully.

 

[gamechickens]

I also free range. it so much fun. anywho i have a call i used on my girls scence chicks its high pitched i go LADIES LADIES LADIES LADIES chicks chicks chicks and i shake the feed bucket. ever seen 100 chickens running at you from all sides its so funny. i only feed them in there "coop" it acually a court yard and a house with laying boxes really big so they are come runy home for there dinner and i shut the door behind them. i also have there water in there coop. a few stay out during the night and roost in the trees. shutting the court yard at night has really cut down on skunk related deaths

 

[furbabymum]

How intelligent will the chickens be? Our dog run has a 6' fence but there are small gaps at the gates. My chickens won't be stupid enough to wander over to the dogs will they? If they are they're dead.

 

[gamechickens]

yes chickens will go in with dogs i know this for a fact. chasing something or see something over there and their dead. like my husband says only the smart ones survive.

 

[mm22kids]

First question I free range my chickens when I feel like it. And they all go back into the barn once it starts getting dark.
Second question I have a 6ft fence and a few many be 5 out of 24 fly the coop and walk around all day. The rest stay in the coop. And yes, if there's any little hole they will make there way out of it. Or the dog might keep digging at the hole himself.

 

[twisted troy]

I keep them locked up in the coop for a couple months and they seem to know where to go back to. If you forget to shut the door at nite a couple times once you start letting them out, mine tend to stop going in and I have to start all over. Also if the door happens to be closed when its time to go in they will roost in the trees. It's n ot easy to break that habit!

 

[redstarmama]

I call them the same way every time and only feed them layer or corn and water them in their main yard. I also will randomly call to them thru the day to get a rough count. It just makes me feel more secure. When I first started calling them I would give them stale bread or kitchen scraps. Now they come to me anytime.

 

[ignatz]

When you first get them (or raise them from chicks) keep them in the coop for about a week. After that they'll usually come back on their own and roost inside it. If you raised them in it from chicks, they'll come back to it on their own.

 

[DigitalEd]

The phase "Chickens always come home to roost" has real meaning. Our free range all day and are always back in the coop about 5 minutes before sunset, rain or shine.

 

[hemet dennis]

The phase "Chickens always come home to roost" has real meaning. Our free range all day and are always back in the coop about 5 minutes before sunset, rain or shine.

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