Getting the flock to move out of the run ?

[kyron4]

My birds (9 total) are about 8 to 10 weeks old and moved out to the coop a week ago. The coop sits inside a 25'x25' fenced pen. They have over an acre of wide open mowed lawn to roam but they either stay in the pen or right around the pen, never straying to far from it. They were allowed to free range several times a week since they were about 4 weeks old, so it's not new to them. Even the ducks and turkeys find their way into the pen . If we move them out to the middle they just make their way back to the pen. Any tips or advice to get them out and exploring more of the yard ? -Thanks

 

[21hens-incharge]

Give it time. They are still quite young and feel safer closer to home.

 

[DobieLover]

My birds (9 total) are about 8 to 10 weeks old and moved out to the coop a week ago. The coop sits inside a 25'x25' fenced pen. They have over an acre of wide open mowed lawn to roam but they either stay in the pen or right around the pen, never straying to far from it. They were allowed to free range several times a week since they were about 4 weeks old, so it's not new to them. Even the ducks and turkeys find their way into the pen . If we move them out to the middle they just make their way back to the pen. Any tips or advice to get them out and exploring more of the yard ? -Thanks

In 2 months you'll be back here complaining that the chickens are ranging too far! Once they gain confidence they range a little further every day. It takes a while.

 

[sarastamand]

In 2 months you'll be back here complaining that the chickens are ranging too far! Once they gain confidence they range a little further every day. It takes a while.

I had this same problem! And now sometimes I find my girls in the road even.... luckily I live on a private dirt road and only about 3 cars go by every day, but still wish they wouldn’t go as far as they do! They love going on the neighbors property too! Again, luckily it’s vacant. Although we will be eventually putting up a perimeter fence to avoid that.

 

[DobieLover]

I had this same problem! And now sometimes I find my girls in the road even.... luckily I live on a private dirt road and only about 3 cars go by every day, but still wish they wouldn’t go as far as they do! They love going on the neighbors property too! Again, luckily it’s vacant. Although we will be eventually putting up a perimeter fence to avoid that.

Yep! Mine where caught three times parading up our dead end dirt road. Several times, one of them was in the road when a car went whizzing by without even slowing down. They used to spend the majority of their day at the neighbor's house only coming home to lay eggs and get a quick bite to eat. They are now locked up in a 1/4-acre pen surrounded by poultry netting electrified with a 10,000 volt charger. It took about 2 months to keep them in there!! Lots of wing clipping, raising gate heights and one girl lost to the neighbors dog during the transition period. I used to feel as bad about keeping them in there as they did. We have ALL adjusted and everyone is happy now.

 

[sarastamand]

Yep! Mine where caught three times parading up our dead end dirt road. Several times, one of them was in the road when a car went whizzing by without even slowing down. They used to spend the majority of their day at the neighbor's house only coming home to lay eggs and get a quick bite to eat. They are now locked up in a 1/4-acre pen surrounded by poultry netting electrified with a 10,000 volt charger. It took about 2 months to keep them in there!! Lots of wing clipping, raising gate heights and one girl lost to the neighbors dog during the transition period. I used to feel as bad about keeping them in there as they did. We have ALL adjusted and everyone is happy now.

We are saving up right now to do the same exact thing! Plus I’m sick of getting poop on my shoes every time I go outside haha. That was the reason I trained my dog to do his business in the woods! And so I could be lazy and not have to pick it up haha. Glad you all have adjusted well!