- Jul 29, 2008
- 29
- 3
- 87
Hi everyone--
First post, but BYC is my new favorite online forum. About 5 days ago I brought home three lovely chickens (my first!)--two silkies and a Rhode Island Red. I converted half of my storage shed into a coop, and I fenced off about a 20 x 15' patch of my "lawn" for a run. But--they hardly ever use it! So far, they have only come out about 3 times, always late in the afternoon, just about the time I'm thinking they need to get locked up. Is this normal? Its been warm, but not unreasonably hot (80's). Though their run is pretty much full sun. Anyway--just wondering if this is normal--perhaps they're just not yet comfortable? (They grew up in the country and now they're city-dwellers) I even tried 'herding' them outside and they wanted nothing to do with it. There are a couple of obnoxious terriers on the other side of the fence that bark sometimes....could that be spooking them?
Also--their run is fenced off with a 4' tall wire fence. During one of their forays into the run, the R.I. Red few up to the gate! She sat there for a bit and was very vocal, and I was worried she was going to leave the yard. So I shooed her back into the run, and she did it again! I'm a bit worried she's going to run off. (the silkies can't fly that high, though they tried) My thought was that the fence was high enough to keep the dogs/coons/possums out, but not high enough to keep the ladies in. But I figured they wouldn't WANT to leave because their home is so AWESOME and their run is so BIG. So if the RI Red DOES fly out of the run, should I just let her find her way back home? I'm assuming that she won't go far...hopefully within a quick flight back to safety!
Or do I need to get going on my more permanent set-up (a fully enclosed chicken tractor...)
Thanks you all! you've already been a wonderful source of info and encouragement. My little silkie sat on my shoulder today!! Big high point in the taming process!!
Ryan
Mcminnville, Oregon
First post, but BYC is my new favorite online forum. About 5 days ago I brought home three lovely chickens (my first!)--two silkies and a Rhode Island Red. I converted half of my storage shed into a coop, and I fenced off about a 20 x 15' patch of my "lawn" for a run. But--they hardly ever use it! So far, they have only come out about 3 times, always late in the afternoon, just about the time I'm thinking they need to get locked up. Is this normal? Its been warm, but not unreasonably hot (80's). Though their run is pretty much full sun. Anyway--just wondering if this is normal--perhaps they're just not yet comfortable? (They grew up in the country and now they're city-dwellers) I even tried 'herding' them outside and they wanted nothing to do with it. There are a couple of obnoxious terriers on the other side of the fence that bark sometimes....could that be spooking them?
Also--their run is fenced off with a 4' tall wire fence. During one of their forays into the run, the R.I. Red few up to the gate! She sat there for a bit and was very vocal, and I was worried she was going to leave the yard. So I shooed her back into the run, and she did it again! I'm a bit worried she's going to run off. (the silkies can't fly that high, though they tried) My thought was that the fence was high enough to keep the dogs/coons/possums out, but not high enough to keep the ladies in. But I figured they wouldn't WANT to leave because their home is so AWESOME and their run is so BIG. So if the RI Red DOES fly out of the run, should I just let her find her way back home? I'm assuming that she won't go far...hopefully within a quick flight back to safety!
Or do I need to get going on my more permanent set-up (a fully enclosed chicken tractor...)
Thanks you all! you've already been a wonderful source of info and encouragement. My little silkie sat on my shoulder today!! Big high point in the taming process!!
Ryan
Mcminnville, Oregon