Introducing Chickens to Backyard

[bragabit]

My chickens currently free range in our .20 fenced pasture. Their coop is inside with access to their grain, water and nest boxes. I would like to let them come into the backyard for the sole purpose of eating the bugs

So of course the easiest thing would be to just open the gate and then they could come into the newly fenced in backyard....but we have a dumb ewe who is back there too and she would terrorize my backyard. So does anyone have any ideas how to let the chickens out but not the ewe? If I propped the gate open about 8 inches would the chickens come out? Or should I run a 2x6 up and over the fence on both sides?

Here is some pictures of the back yard. The gate to the pasture is right behind the swing set. The coop is the almost tin building to the right.

 

[sunnychooks]

You could try propping the gate open and somehow block off all but the bottom 12". I have sheep and goats and did that on the doors of the chicken yard (going out to the main paddock) because my baby goats were able to get into the chicken yard and eat the chicken feed. I guess it depends on how tenacious your ewe is about getting into your yard!

 

[bragabit]

Quote:
Please tell me that your sheep are pigs like mine?? My sheep will not stay out of my chicken feed