how long do I keep the hens penned up?

[thechickenwhisperer]

Hello!

If you REALLY REALLY want to get them to come back...let ALL out (including the roo), but keep ONE HEN penned up. When I want to let mine free range I will rotate the girls by keeping one girl in while the others range (the next day a different hen will stay in). Then when it's time to bring them back, I get the one girl out of the pen and let her squwak a bit. He will come running to "save his girl", and the others usually follw his lead. I then lead him to the door and put the hen in and he will follow. Makes it much easier to get them put up. Food treats don't generally work as well for mine because they preffer the goodies they get freeranging.

 

[marie_martin]

But at night, I would have to have seperate coop areas right? so that when they are up, they wont cross breed? I guess I need a couple more like I have and that way I can rotate who gets to be out each day. That would work great. I like the idea of that. Not as many to chase. I doubt I will have a ton hatch anyway, but I want to be prepared. And I may decide not to keep more roos. I don't know yet. Not many folks around here have chickens except for RIR's and such for egg laying and meat. Not many "ornamental" birds. Not many folks keeping them for pets like me. So not sure if I will hatch many. But like I said, I want to be sure and have plenty of room for everyone.

Marie

 

[dnsnthegrdn]

That is the best idea I have heard, keeping a hen in the pen. I know my father in law has a shooting preserve and the pheasants and quail will come back from acres away back to the flock. I have noticed how the rooster is the one to always make the first cluck and the hens come rushing over to him. Even the young ones that have only been out there for four or five days.

I haven't had my chickens outside, adult or babies, for two weeks. (How I found this thread.) Just got my second egg today!

One thing to consider is if there are dogs that you own that will scare them from going back to the coop. I made that mistake 3 yrs. ago with three peafowl. All the info said to keep them penned up for 3 months, scared I kept them penned up for 6 months. When I finally let them out they were too scared to go back to the pen because of our dog. Now that was a very expensive mistake! They hung around in the trees for a week, till they finally gave up I guess. One was seen for the whole next year running around with turkeys. They were just too scared of the dog.

Not to scare anyone, peafowl aren't domesticated like chickens I don't believe. Just another thing to think about.

I think I will try keeping one hen penned up and start them off with a couple hours before dust as suggested. The dog has her own acre and the chickens can have the other three, so I don't have to worry about that. Still hard to let your first birds go though.