How often do you let your flock out?

[sonew123]

They get let out at 7 am and they put themelves back to bed around 8pm-Ihave not lost one to a predator since we started 3 years ago ( except one to my dog!) At night is a whole new ballgame--all teh dangerous demons come out at night around here!

 

[annie3001]

everyday.

 

[7L Farm]

Everyday but I pack a rifle & I try to keep my eye on them.

 

[forrestacres]

Our flock (8) is let out every day to free range when I get home from work, and they stay out until they put themselves to bed. On the weekends, we let them out to free range first thing in the morning, and they stay out until they put themselves to bed. We will keep doing this as much as we can until snow arrives. We plan to cover their run so they can go outside in the winter as much as they want. During the day while we are at work, the girls have access to their enclosed run.

 

[teach1rusl]

In my opinion, yes, it would be cruel to keep them contained within that small of a housing all day. I don't think many of the responders here on your post actually READ your post question. Unless I'm reading your question wrong: "Would it be okay to keep them contained in the housing all day, as I don't trust the chicken wire run?" I would spend the money to beef up your run so that they could enjoy that too during the day. As another person said, the egg process will probably even be inhibited, as they do need lots of light. Plus, as another mentioned, it would probably result in bullying/pecking behaviors due to stress unless you have the mildest, most docile of breeds (and those generally aren't the best layers).

 

[zazouse]

Quote:
Same here except i don't have a coop, just a pack of dogs.

 

[joemwm]

I let mine free range everyday from about 8AM till bedtime the neigbhors dogs know too stay away from my territory I do have a large L shaped run for younger birds the bottom 4' is chain link and 2x3 welded wire the top 2'of side and top is 2" chicken wire if needed for the layers until problem is fixed and I agree you should put a layer of welded wire on the sides of your run2x3 welded wire would kep out anything large enough to break through the chicken wire

 

[Tinkspirit70]

while we were building our first coop we had a temporary coop with chicken wire on it, One day during a thunderstorm Our black lab mix "Jenny" got out of our fenced in back yard and literally ripped off the chicken wire like she pulling back a blanket, no problem for her at all...any way she killed all but one of our chickens...broke our hearts...I would definatley make the investment for better wire if I were you ) Goodluck!!

 

[surfchicken72]

twice a day, they free range.. always supervised.... for as long as I or the DW can... (and allowing time to round them up)...
if you time your late day free range properly, they will all shuffle into the coop on their own as dusk/dark approaches....
makes it a lot easier than acting out the scene from "Rocky" twice a day...

 

[new&learning]

i had the same thing happen with my "chicken" wire...a dog tore right threw it like butter but the welded wire stopped him...we had it doubled up...let them out for a little bit at a time in the evenings when you can sit and enjoy them...they will run at each other and "play" ...you will enjoy watching them...start with 30 minutes, like from 730-800pm and see if they will put themselves back to bed by themselves...if that goes well increase the time by 30 min every few days, up to a few hours...i let mine out at 6pm before i start dinner and go back at 800 (when i can still see) to count heads...they will be much happier and i think healthier . i also have a 8x8 run and i did see pecking problems but after i have been taking the chance and letting them out, i have seen a big difference in how they act and i think how they feel...the flock pecking has stopped. good luck to you ...we are all learning