Over the last couple of weeks, we've been home a lot and the weather is nice, so we have let our chickens out onto our fenced acre for long periods of time. Now that school is back in session, they need to be locked up in their run for much longer periods of time. I was sick today and so home and sitting quietly all day, so I could hear them. I let them out at lunchtime for an hour while I ate and got the crock-pot ready. When I locked them up again to lay down for a nap, they started squaking. And squaking! My next door neighbor hates any kind of animal noise, I keep my dogs pretty quiet but how do I quiet the chickens? A noise complaint is inevitable if they keep this up, but if I let them free range in my yard all day everyday, I give them a month tops before all three are eaten by hawks, raccoons or the neighbor dogs who escape all the time and have been found lurking around my fence. I've been thinking of making a tractor so they can have fresh "pasture" to dig in everyday, but what else might work? Right now as my neighbor is working outside with his truck and equipment (he's a landscaper) I have them out roaming the yard, but once again I have to leave for an hour or so for for soccer practice and no one will be home. HELP!
I have only had my girls for 10 weeks (they are 27 weeks old) and I worried about them being bored, since I do not let them free range much--maybe an hour or two late in the evening--until roost time. I have found that on the day after, they are not out--they are more fussy with each other...So, I started hanging large suet cake cages filled with tomatoes, cabbage, lettuce or any fruits and veggies scraps we have..I hang the feeders just above their heads.. I will also cut the grass and throw it in to them...but first I throw a hand full of bird seed on the ground.. ANY thing to entertain them..
