Hello from North Carolina

[Bliksem]

We were given the gift of keeping chickens a week ago after moving to our house in the country....very nice and I love them, but have no idea how to keep them happy(I will have to read up on alot of things)...but for now just need to ask one thing....it's 3 hens and a rooster, and we kept them in the run for a week now, can I let them out?...will they not run away?...do they come back in the evenings?...do I have to have some way to call them if they don't come back by nightfall?....

 

[dawg53]

Quote:
Welcome to BYC. Yes you can let them out, but be aware of predators...dogs, cats, coons, hawks etc...They will go back to their coop in the evening to eat. Teach them to come to you buy tossing a handful of 'scratch' into their run, they'll love that. After that, all you have to do is call them and they' ll come running thinking you have scratch for them, reward them with scratch accordingly. Use scratch only as a treat and not as a permanent food source. They should be eating layer crumbles and make sure they have freshwater available at all times. Good luck.

 

[WhoopiePie]

welcome to BYC!

 

[toejam]

 

[Imp]

A warm welcome from an imp in Washington

congrats on getting chickens

Imp

 

[theoldchick]

Howdy!

 

[Luckytaz]

Welcome, from Minnesota.

 

[4-H chicken mom]

and

from Ohio.

 

[jason_mazzy]

welcome. feel free to post in the new members section! or the north carolina section

 

[Desert Rooster]

Hello

from Hesperia, Ca and