free ranging with limits??

[laruec]

I have 8 hens- 2 buffs, 2 leghorns (they are crazy!), and 4 barred rocks.
The run surrounds their coop, and is about 18x25, or larger- they have plenty of room to run around, etc, but it is in the edge of the woods, and they have already eaten all the vegetation in the run, so it's pretty much just dirt now.

I give them lots of veggies, etc all the time, but I have one leghorn that flies out a couple of times a day and obviously enjoys being out and foraging around the run. I feel kind of bad that I don't let them out- but my neighbor would definitely flip if they went in to her yard (we have one acre), she already hates that I have chickens.... what should I do?

Can I let them out, but give them a border somehow? I know I could do a fence, but that seems like a lot of work- are there plants, or shiny tins or something that will keep them away from the borders of the property?

 

[MIKE555444]

Not likely you could teach them to stay close HOWEVER many people have choose to only let them free range for the last 30 min in hte evening before roost time. Normally they won't go far right before night night time

 

[laruec]

good to know, thanks! I may just try that

 

[Chicky Tocks]

I let my girls out at about 5:30 p.m. until roost time. Usually they're back in the run by 7:30. The really great thing is that early on when I began letting them free-range, I stayed with them (on hawk watch) and kinda showed them where they were allowed. They do go just to the other side of the fence sometimes, but never venture into my neighbor's yard. I do however have a very large backyard (7 acres total) and they're all over that so there's really no need to slip under the fence.

 

[Chicken Woman]

A chicken tractor works well as you can move it to a new location each day. They are pretty easy to make with PVC and chicken wire and are light weight to pull around with a piece of rope.