Keeping Chickens Free Range

[lindalouly]

I use a fake owl to keep my chickens off my patio table. When we have company, I move it to the back door so they don't try to sneak in the house. It has worked so far

 

[katatonic123]

I use a fake owl to keep my chickens off my patio table. When we have company, I move it to the back door so they don't try to sneak in the house. It has worked so far

At least I'm not the only one who almost has house chickens on a regular basis. OJ followed me from the coop across the yard, driveway, down the sidewalk, and right up to the door the other night. I guess she thought I should have been giving her treats.

 

[slordaz]

with my old flock years ago, I had one that would follow me around like Mary's little lam, and at dinner time she'd knock on the door expecting to be allowed to eat at the table with us, then go off in a huff when she was refused entry. even taking her a treat didn't seem to help with her attitude lol.

 

[lindalouly]

There are pros and cons to free ranging vs run..... It really depends on the person and situation in which they live. I free range.... This does not mean I love my girls any less... I just have the tools and area to make it possible right now. I know a lot of people who wished they could but can't because of wilderness and such... I applaud them for making the changes they need to to keep them safe. I like my birds to go about but I hate the constant raking and clean up under their favorite spots on a daily... I'm use to it so no biggie!!! I love my girls following in my pack of dogs and me as we go about our business and having a pretty darn good life!!! Accidents happen either way... Animals die either way..... But the important thing is what makes you smile.

 

[nmadams]

i have a run and coop for my 4 hens. i started off just letting them out a few times a day, but they started to get really annoyingly loud so now i let them out in the morning and put them to bed at night. they have a fenced yard so i'm not too concerned with predators, but they are doing a number on my garden. other than cats, i have not seen any predators in or around our house. there are badgers and foxes and coyotes and snakes, but we live in an urban area and our yard is completely fenced. i'm more worried about them getting over the fence and eaten by a dog or run over. i clipped their wings the other day, so hopefully that can be avoided. they started laying yesterday, one in the nest box and one in the run. she was in the nest box for most of the day and then came out for food and water and dropped it in the run. lol. we have eagles as well, but i have never seen them over our house, they seem to stick closer to the river. we also have a lot of mature trees for cover. the little hawks that we do have go after the doves and i'm pretty sure my chickens are too big for them now. i'm going to have to figure something out with my garden next year, but for now i'm writing it off as a lost cause. the heat we had killed most of my crop anyway...

 

[MTCoop]

Just thought I would give an update on our 'laying' situation. We were having trouble getting our new girls to lay in the nesting boxes. Instead, they were laying all over the yard - it was interesting. We decided to install 3 more nesting boxes and we left all the girls in the coop until at least 10 am as they seem to lay before that time every morning. We have done this now for a week or so and it is working! We have 10 chickens, 5 yr old leghorns and 5 17 week old Red Sex Links, and everyday now I find 9-10 eggs waiting for me inside the coop. They are almost always grouped together in one or two of the nesting boxes. I have found the odd egg (from one of our newbies) on the floor of the coop but that is getting to be a rare sight as I think they are starting to catch on to this whole nesting box thing. Once I see all the eggs are there, we let the girls out for the day to free range the yard and run around.
Who knew owning chickens was so much fun?!

 

[SmColorInDaPan]

Turns out that old farmer's trick works, from what You say. I've heard that trick, NoT let them out until they lay, as a way to assure, they lay inside the coop, box, whatever. Good news!!!

 

[slordaz]

we have given the girls an open door at all times which makes me nervous but have it is my friends property, and they come and go as they please, but every night the hens are on their perches, When we first got the new ones they did stay locked in for 2 days whie the others were allowed out, one was already laying, then we let them out and sure enough they come in to lay. only issue is right now I have 5 laying with another dozen close and seems having 11 nesting boxes in there they only like the one. Which by the way is of course the one the leghorn is brooding in lol.

 

[SmColorInDaPan]

That's the way the chick pounces?

 

[katatonic123]

Apparently my flock is not amused at being kept in all day and evening. (I worked today and had open house this evening so we weren't home until dark.) I have 4 layers now but not 1 egg was waiting on me when I got home!