How do I free range???????

[Bil]

I'm the same as others here. I open up the coop right now at 6:45 and they are standing at the door ready to jump out. They come and go all day and have free range of our 5 acres. I don't think they go that far but I have seen evidence that they have been pretty far on the property.

I go out when I get home from work at 5:30 and I know they have been back at least once because my GLW is now leaving me a beautiful brown egg everyday. I go back out around 7:30 - 8:00 and they are all in the coop on their roosts. I shut the door and that's it.

I had the younger chicks in the coop for about 5 weeks without letting them out and when I got the GLW I kept her in the coop without letting any of them out for about 2 weeks. I have no feed or water outside of the coop and the coop is open all day long.

Bil

 

[gritsar]

I was about 15 minutes late going out to the coop this morning. When I opened the door they all tumbled out and I found a freshly laid egg right there by the door. Apparently one hen laid it while waiting in line. Nobody likes to miss out on the morning treat I scatter before opening the door.