i need some help please!!

[Bear Foot Farm]

If i got a neighbor to let them out in the morning, i could let them in at 5:00 so it will work with my schedule

That's askiing a lot of someone , to do something EVERY day, indefinitely, just for your convenience
You could get up an hour early and do it yourself

 

[ChickenDoors]

Someone mentioned an automatic door? We have a new product, superior to the others. I have had excellent results using this myself with a small flock of 12 birds. It’s very comforting to know my chickens will be safely lock inside if I happen to be away or late to arrive home. Life happens and I can not always be there on time.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Another issue is power ...

If you get weather below freezing during your winters, or winter storms that can strand you at home for days without power, then you will need a reliable way to provide water for the chickens 24/7.
...
I'd say you need to do some "practice runs" before you move the chickens there. Drive out there 2x a day, every day, just like you would if chickens were there. Putter around the property for 15-20 minutes, even when the weather sucks. It will be a brief taste of what you will be dealing with, and let you know if you want to do it.

Great advice.

 

[Hokum Coco]

One thing I have come to realize on this site.
Their is a wide variety of methods to tending chickens.

For example we have on BYCer who through the winter months does not supply water to her hens in liquid form.

This person has 4 hens and when winter brings it's cold;
moisture is supplied to her birds in the form of snow.
Do I agree with her methods? No.
Does it work for her? Yes.
Would I panic if I was for what ever reason unable to supply water to my hens in the winter months for a few days knowing they had ample snow?
The answer is NO.

On another note:
If you want to heat your coup to 71ºF year round and it gives you piece of mind so be it. Do I agree with this method? NO.

However this site has hundreds of members who will let you know kindness killed the birds.
That is if the heating system failed and birds died from hypothermia and exposure.

The knowledge is definitely here it is up to the subscriber to sort the wheat from the chaff for their climate and region and their particular set up.

 

[write2caroline]

Chickens are good at foraging and they go feral easily. So long as they have lots of food available (green stuff and bugs) and access to water, they will do well on their own. They don't need a lot of supervision. They will lay eggs and return to their coops at night.

I live in a rural area and I see many flocks of chickens free ranging in fields.
So they can be somewhat self sufficient. I lost my layers last summer and I have 3 roosters right now out in the run. They can get in and out of the run on their own and I live on 5 acers. I was not going to waste expensive layer pellets to feed the roosters and they wander all over the property. They are fine and I do not do much for them. I am not even locking them up in the coop at night. The one rooster sleeps in a tree and the other two go into the coop nightly.

I toss them some scraps from time to time.

My layer hens free range and I feed them layer crumbles. Right now I have 11 in the brooder.

When you let them free range you must accept that their will be losses from time to time and it depends on if you feel compelled to lock them up at night and let them out in the am or just take your chances. On the nights I forgot to lock them up, I have had problems from Foxes, raccoons and opossums. I let them down once late and It was a horribly hot am and I lost the whole flock to heat. I have since installed an auto door to open and close the coop on a timer.

You have to decide what is best for you and the goals you have in keeping chickens and keep in consideration where you keep chickens. I would not let mine run free in a suburban neighborhood.

Chickens will go wild easily but then they may not be friendly and want to be held and accept treats. They may lay their eggs in places you are not aware and go broody and raise chicks and surprise you if they are left to tend themselves. There are hawks and other predators including humans.

I had a neighbor kid killing off my chickens with pellet guns and sling shots when I was at work a couple of summers ago. It was frustrating to come home and find dead birds and not understand why. Took cameras to find out the reason.

There are a lot of options.

Caroline