Help,My wife is going to fry my chicks....

[space40023]

I have a flock of 21 thirteen week old Isa-Browns, 2 of which are roos.I free range my chicks on our 6 acres and they seem to love hanging around the house eating all my wifes flowers and just making a mess of everything..Is there anything I can do to keep them closer to their coop? I hate to keep them in the small pen for long. I have used the water hose, but this is only effective in a small area. Will they setle down once they start laying? Any Ideas would be appreciated..Thanks Stan

 

[SpringChickens]

Fence in the flowers....

Sorry, they're going to go where they want to go!

 

[WingingIt]

If you free range them, they are going to get into stuff. If you want to contain them you need to build a run for them so they can be outside but not getting into everything.

 

[ranchhand]

Hi Stan,

in case I missed you earlier!

Yes, they will continue to destray all of you most valuable plants. It sounds like you need some kind of fencing somewhere. Be creative!

 

[TXmom]

I have a coop and secure run for my chickens, but I didn't like keeping them locked in the run all the time. I also was afraid to let them completely free range because of all the dangers, including the toxic Oleanders in front of the house. I ended up fencing in an area for them, approximately 40' x 70'. Now they can run around in the grass and chase bugs, but still stay pretty safe. The fencing we used was cheap, fast and easy to put up - we drove metal T posts into the ground every 8 ft, then attached 2"x4" welded wire to them.

 

[space40023]

I guess there just isn't any magic left is there ? thanks alot guys,,Stan

 

[cmom]

I fenced in my birds because they were getting in my gardens and scratching up and eating my newly planted plants and tearing up and spreading out my mulch piles. It was either fence in the gardens or the chickens. The chickens lost. They have a nice big yard. Also I put up some electric wire up around the outside of my fence after a neighborhood dog dug under my fence and killed one of my hens. There are pictures on my BYC Page.

 

[space40023]

Great pic's, i guess a fence is the only answer..BTW I noticed the DE bucket in the shed,have you found it to be very effective?