- Mar 9, 2010
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Glad to be a new member. I have 4 Rhode Island Red hens - just purchased last week and I already have 9 eggs! Yay - go girls! My Christmas present from my husband was a newly built chicken coop and enclosure in our backyard. Turned out beautiful but, the drainage isn't the best so he still needs to work on rainwater drainage from the enclosure. My hens are 8 months old and this is my first experience (since childhood) owning chickens. I want them for both eggs and for organic bug control in my vegetable garden. Here's my question to you seasoned pros...I'm planning on letting my "girls" have a "chicken excursion" this weekend. We will supervise their foraging outside their completely screened enclosure into the yard and garden. I want to train them to seek cover if overhead predators come around - we have hawks and eagles in our area. What methods have any of you used to get them to either come to me or go into their enclosure if danger threatens and how to teach them what danger is without losing any of them? I've been spending time with them inside their enclosure on a daily basis and bringing them treats of freshly dug earthworms (which they absolutely love). Thanks for your insight!!