Hello, new chicken mom looking for advice and tips from folks with experience with chickens.

[Mo3]

My name is Moe and my husband recently got me 6 hens. I didn't realize how much I would enjoy keeping them. I want them to be happy and healthy and since I'm new to this I welcome ALL advice anyone is willing to give. My hens are free range, they hate the run. So we built a ladder for them to climb and roost in our holly tree. I don't plan on having fertile eggs but I do worry about where they will lay eggs since they won't use the coop. What could it be that I'm doing wrong?

 

[igorsMistress]

Hi Moe. Welcome to BYC! You may not have done anything wrong, or it could be various reasons. There are lots of knowledgeable folks here to help you out.

 

[sourland]

Hello, Moe, and welcome to BYC. If your birds are 100 % free range with no coop or pen, the predators will eventually find them.

 

[Kiki]

Welcome! You say they hate the run...can you get clear pictures of the setup they hate?

 

[Dr Evy]

Welcome to BYC Moe. We’re so glad you joined!

 

[rjohns39]

Hi Moe and welcome to BYC We're so happy you've decided to join us

 

[Grammy60]

Hello Moe and welcome to BYC So happy you have joined our flock.

 

[janiedoe]

Hi Moe, welcome to BYC!
What breed do you have? Some are flightier than others.
As @sourland mentioned you will lose them to predators if you don't put them in a secure coop or run at night.
We would love to see your coop. Prefab coops are usually not a favorite with chickens or owners.

 

[DobieLover]

Hello Moe, and welcome to BYC! Glad you joined.
Without homing them to the coop/run setup, they won't lay in the designated areas for you. You need to have a large enough setup for them to be comfortable in with plenty of ventilation.

 

[N F C]

Hi Moe, as other greeters have mentioned, allowing them to sleep in trees at night does make them more at risk to predation. If you can post pictures and dimensions of your coop and run, maybe we can give you some tips on how to make it more to your flock's liking.

Best wishes!