Free range DISASTER

[SunnyDayz]

What a day!
We have 6 leghorn chicks (about 6 weeks old) and they have been in their temporary coop for almost 2 weeks now. It is a 3.5x8 open (hardware cloth covered) coop with one end closed on 3 sides (we are in FL and it is so hot here). They love it in there but I wanted to get them used to free ranging so we decided to let them out today for a litte bit...
BAD idea.
Sure at first it was fun, they were scratching and digging, eating treats and looking so happy.
Then it was time to go back in the coop...
It took myself and my 9 year old son over an hour to get them back in the coop.

Okay, maybe I'm just stupid... maybe they are too young, bad breed (so flighty and skiddish) or they aren't used to being out. I don't know. It was almost as if they did not know HOW to get back in. They were hot and panting and stressed out. We finally chased them in a few at a time but MAN it was hard. I bribed them with treats (eggs, lettuce, bananas etc~they were so stuffed, lol) but I could not catch even one!

We are going to fence in behind the coop and a little around the side to prevent them from going too far but I really want them to be able to free range. Am I dreaming, or is it possible?
...please give me some tips on free ranging and getting them to go in when they need to.
Thanks!

 

[Imp]

Was it dusk when you tried to get them in? Eventually they will go in at dusk by themselves. Before dusk... Well you know what that's like.

You can try holding onto 2 long sticks to extend your arm length. Makes it a little easier to control when you are herding them. Some people use a net.

Imp

 

[saltiboys]

Why was it time to go back into the coop? Was it because you thought it was time or was it getting dark? I just leave the water and food in the coop and leave the door to the coop open. Usually the chickies won't wander too far away from the coop and they stick together. They exlore and peck and then go in the coop, eat a little more and then go back to exploring. If they are used to the location of the coop and have been in there a while, they will go back in there when it starts to get dark outside.

 

[SunnyDayz]

We had to go out and run some errands (in other words~buy more chicken coop supplies

) and I didn't want to leave without them back in the coop. I guess I was thinking it would be kinda a trial run.
Another thing, they were so hot and panting and I put their water RIGHT there where they were and none of them touched it. Why?? As soon as they were back in the coop they drank like they never had a drop before... ?

Okay, next time I let them out (I hope you all are right, last thing I want to do is chase 6 freaked out chickens in the woods after dark

) I'll be hoping they go in on their own at dusk.
...seems like a big chance to be taking, or is it just me??

 

[patnjess]

getting them in when you want is too hard. If they have been in the coop awhile then leave the door open go out at dusk and they will be in there, they know where to roost and where food is.

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[SunnyDayz]

I am afraid to leave them out if I am not home... they are still little. What is a good age for free ranging? Perhaps I am too eager and I need to give them a bit more time before they can be out by themselves.

 

[Kittymomma]

As long as they've been in that coop long enough to consider it home they'll go back in by themselves when it gets close to dark. If I have to put mine in earlier I just throw some scratch or other treats in the run and the greedy little things charge right in.

 

[RocketDad]

Something I read in a cat care book and I do with my chickens as well: have a little cup (like the laundry detergent scoop) that you use to feed with, and always shake it. The shaking/rattling noise becomes a Pavlovian trigger. When I give my girls scratch grains I always use a scoop, and I call "chick chick chick" so that they associate both of those sounds with treats.

 

[SunnyDayz]

Quote:
I tried that and it didn't work...

I used their favorite too, scrambled eggs. They would NOT go near the door. I wonder if they realized that was the way to get in...? How can I get them to recognize the door? Obviously they came OUT the door, lol... but didn't know how to get back IN.

 

[jnkir7]

i start out letting them out a couple hours before dusk,, that way they get used to it a little at a time and they always went in on there own. janie