free ranging for limited times

[Nonny]

I let my girls out to range most days for quite a few hours (unless I'm going to be out), usually first thing in the morning while I go and collect teh eggs, and I put them back in before dusk as that's when I go bring my cat in for the night as well.

If I need to go somewhere I have to go and put them all safely in the run again - mainly because I don't like the thought of backing over one of them in my car. I just use my loud "chook chook chook" call and walk purposefully towards their run and within a second or two I have all three running full tilt towards the coop and when I open the gate they all dive in there. Only *half* the time will I have a treat to throw in there for them - they're gullible.

 

[Pele]

Quote:
LOL... l love when my girls run, it's hysterical.. beak forward, wings back, head down...GO!

Heehee, you forgot 'legs akimbo'. I have never seen an animal run like a chicken, it is hysterical. It's like their legs rotate out and around intstead of back and forth.

The others have given you golden advice. I always free range my girls two hours before bed-time, and almost all day during the weekends if I'm home. If I need to round them up, it's treat time in the run! It's like magic.

 

[mystang89]

I let mine free range mainly at night before it gets dark so they go back into their run and sleep. If they don't feel like cooperating I have some scratch, (which I know you said yours were food bribery resistant, but they might get the hang of it.) When I let them out during the day its normally just before it gets to the hottest part so they don't want to stay out too long anyway.