I'm not even sure how I ended up with chickens.

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Lizzy733 said:
Do you let them out for adventure time when you're around to watch them? Generally they won't go far and if they're already treat-trained, getting them back in again is as easy as the shake of a can.
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Not yet, but we're getting there with the treats. I had some difficulty today cleaning the coop. Normally they'll stick their heads in through the pop door while I'm cleaning and I'll give them a sunflower seed or two. Today the Leghorn came right in and wouldn't budge. The RIR stood in the doorway and took seed after seed from my fingers (she's usually the most timid) and wouldn't let the others get by her.
I didn't handle them enough as chicks, I was worried I'd freak them out, in hindsight that was a mistake but we're making up for lost time.
My question would be, what would you call "won't go far?" This is suburbia, my lot is slightly oversized at 55x110, the backyard is maybe 2000 sq ft with no fence. Can I expect them to stay in an area that small?
 
Dave TBG said:
Not yet, but we're getting there with the treats. I had some difficulty today cleaning the coop. Normally they'll stick their heads in through the pop door while I'm cleaning and I'll give them a sunflower seed or two. Today the Leghorn came right in and wouldn't budge. The RIR stood in the doorway and took seed after seed from my fingers (she's usually the most timid) and wouldn't let the others get by her.
I didn't handle them enough as chicks, I was worried I'd freak them out, in hindsight that was a mistake but we're making up for lost time.
My question would be, what would you call "won't go far?" This is suburbia, my lot is slightly oversized at 55x110, the backyard is maybe 2000 sq ft with no fence. Can I expect them to stay in an area that small?
Click to expand...
Fence-less, maybe not, though it doesn't take much to deter them. I find mine tend to like going around the edges of the yard more so than roaming out in the middle when they're out. A 60cm tall mesh panel is enough to deter them from sneaking down the corner of the house into the front yard and I've had a lot of success with just bamboo stakes and 1.2m plastic trellis.They don't test barriers in my experience, though they will go over the foot tall vege box.
You can try just before sunset - since they will put themselves to bed at dusk and see how they do.
Make sure your treats are noisy - keep them in a tin you can rattle or just be noisy bringing them out in whatever capacity you can. They will learn to drop everything when it's treat time and come running.
Some other good snacks are mealworms and crickets - dried or live, and millet sprays.
 

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