Helping chickens adjust to run after free range.. :(

[crazyhen]

I dearly love my chickens but: two years ago a group of bantams from nest door destroyed over 100.00 worth of scrubs and plants. I did not call and complain but I so wanted too. We each are respondsible for our animals and that means keeping them on our property. The others have a right to do with theirs as they please too. Freedom only goes until it interferes with someone elses freedom . The hens will get use to it. make them a big long run that is covered with wire. It is easier than an 8 foot one. Jean

 

[chantald]

Perhaps I didn't make it clear.. I'm not arguing that my chickens need to stay in my yard.. I did put them in their run after he complained.. (he could have been nicer about it.. and this neighbor likes to do as he pleases.. law or neighbor comfort be darn...but that is beyond the point). Until this past month they were in my yard..or the neighbor on the other side which was 100% ok with that.. I'm not sure why they decided to wander the opposite way... but they did... he complained.. I have caged them.

My question was how to make them comfortable in their run after being free range..

I've quoted my question from the OP.. just to make it clear that I'm not fighting my neighbor about my chickens..they are caged.. they are not in his yard anymore.. nor will they be..

So..back to my question.. how do I help my chickens adjust to being caged.. There are 10 hens of standard size and 1 bantam roo, 2 young pullets of about 15 weeks of age and one bantam hen of the same age.. Thankfuly the babies (of which there are 9) are no where ready to join them.. as I'd have a problem with #'s and space.​

 

[silkiechicken]

What did they like about the neighbors yard? perhaps try to put some of what that was into the run? Sandbox with meal worms burried into it? Brush? grass seeds? Leaves?

 

[consdrs]

Huummm, Throw pillows. yep that always makes everyone more comfortable!

JK. I don't know.

I would make their run as big as possible! the bigger the better! they then will have the room to wander about pecking and scratching it into a moonscape... and plot with each other the horrible painful death of your neighbor..

treats?

 

[Badhbh]

A temporary solution might be to get some poultry netting from Premiere.. it's pretty tall. You could put some netting over the top? Something to give them a little space and keep them from jumping the fence until you can get a bigger run built..

 

[Badhbh]

Oh, and keeping them occupied.. yes, cabbage on a string, scratch, worms, and just sittin gand hanging out with them would work too. They love to have things to scratch around- maybe some sand or dirt in the run, or some hunks of grassy type stuff if you can find any this time of year. Leaves are good fun too.

 

[FrontPorchIndiana]

I brought a flock of my uncle's bantams that were as free ranging and wild as they come home this summer. They kind of freaked out the first ten minutes trying to understand why they couldn't fly away. After that first ten minutes though they were just fine. In fact they are much happier and healthier now that they're not trying to get away from predators all the time. In fact I just had one of them eating from my hand today. And when I say they were wild I mean WILD.

I'd recommend the hanging cabbage and other veggie treats. Other than that you'll be surprised how well they will do. They might just enjoy resting.

 

[Felicitas]

Is having chickens in a spacious run considered "caging" them? I didn't think it was, but what do I know? I'm new at this. I thought keeping them caged means keeping them confined in a small space with no access to the outside.

 

[Barn Maid Ann]

I feel your pain with the grouchy neighbor. We had Guineas last year, that we raised from chicks. They apparently followed the wild turkeys through the woods and discovered a neighbor (about 1/2 mi down) that had lots of bird feeders in her yard. The turkeys go there and peck around under the feeders for fallen seed. My next door neighbor called to complain about them cutting through his yard and stopping to visit. Besides the noise, he said they were tearing up his yard. These were free range since 2 months of age - smae as you, we got them for tick patrol.
We did end up re-homing ours. I didn't have the heart to lock them up. We also have chickens who stay in the yard (so far).

One of my friends with guineas said she 'trained' hers to not wander over to the neighbors. But it means enlisting the aid of the neighbor. My neighbor may or may not have helped us, but it was after the fact that she told me this. Anyway, she had the neighbor chase them with scary objects like the broom or a rake. then she called and gave them treats and 'protected them' from the mena neighbor. She said after a few times, they quit heading over there.
BTW, all our other neighbors miss the gunieas. Especially the bird feeder lady.

 

[FingerLakesChick]

Boy oh boy! I am so so so so lucky that our neighbors don't mind our chickens in their yard! Of course fresh eggs every week helps. But I would be heart broken if I had to pen up my birds because of a neighbor. I'm sorry this has happened to you. Good luck finding a solution. Wish I had one for you.