What's the best way to keep them close to home? My chickens at our old house would stay in the yard and roost on the fence but knew where to stay. Our new house is much larger property and I so far have only let them free range when I'm watching and before I feed them so they see me bring food they run back to the coop. I just got a bunch more and I want to acclimate them, but worried they will run off. How long should I keep them only in the run before I introduce free ranging? Any other advice?
My dad used to keep them locked up at least a week, maybe 2, then only let them out an hour or so before dusk. Then over time you could let them out earlier. While they are only out for a short time work on training them to come when called so that if they go to far you can call them back
You must have sufficient acreage and the resources (food, water, cover) in locations that keeps birds away from property boundaries.
What I have found, is the more you let them out, over time, the farther they will get from the coop. Them more you keep them confined, the closer to the coop they stay. So when mine are getting too far away, (we are on a ranch, there are no neighbors, so my distance problem is predators) I keep them confined to their run for a few days. Mrs K