Keeping Chickens Free Range

[Debby27]

Cooking the bacon the odor fills the air so best to do on a calm day and this will draw the fox in and when ya drain the bacon grease in to a can and then sprinkle it around the yard where you would like to catch the fox and wait if you see the fox moving around just brake the bacon into small pieces and put the pieces in the best spot for you to get him or her and wait the fox will grab the bacon and leave so about the seconded or third piece the fox will become comfortable and this is the time to take the fox ......

Happy defense of your live stock ..

Sardines are good but ya need a strong odor in the air to really attract a fox on your time ....

Thanks, we are going to try that....cool and a little cloudy today, so we off to snag a fox! or 2!

 

[ninjawesome]

Those darn coyotes!

 

[Marine]

My chickens usually go back to their coop in the evening. However, last night they roosted in a tree above their coop. Tonight, 5 of 6 were on the roof of their coop. I put them all inside. But, is this going to be a problem? Should I let them stay out over night?...and yes we have predators (coyotes and raccoons). I keep their food and water in the coop and usually let them out at 6 am and make sure they are secure in the evenings. Mainly concerned with where they will lay their eggs since they are only 4 months. Just curious. Thanks.

 

[duluthralphie]

They should go back in.

Leave them in for a few days,

Put nest eggs in the nests and lock them up for a few days when they start laying, even a major free ranger like me locks my birds up now and then. Bad habits are best stopped early.

 

[Marine]

Thanks Duluthralphie! Consider those hens in lock down for the next few days. Is it too soon to put in the fake eggs to encourage where to lay? I've been debating if I should go ahead and put in some decoys.

 

[duluthralphie]

Naw, whats the harm of putting them in now?

 

[SmColorInDaPan]

They should go back in.

Leave them in for a few days,

Put nest eggs in the nests and lock them up for a few days when they start laying, even a major free ranger like me locks my birds up now and then. Bad habits are best stopped early.

I agree. They are still young and need to know home is HOME. I WOULD be very artful. They MAY have sensed a predator and roosted higher so as to protect themselves?

 

[Manyana]

My chickens usually go back to their coop in the evening. However, last night they roosted in a tree above their coop. Tonight, 5 of 6 were on the roof of their coop. I put them all inside. But, is this going to be a problem? Should I let them stay out over night?...and yes we have predators (coyotes and raccoons). I keep their food and water in the coop and usually let them out at 6 am and make sure they are secure in the evenings. Mainly concerned with where they will lay their eggs since they are only 4 months. Just curious. Thanks.

Looks like you've been given some good advice. They will get in the habit of going home of an evening. I had one that wanted to stay out for a few days but as it got dark, I'd collect her from where she had chosen to overnight, and I put her back in the coup. That only took a couple of days.....the teaching them to roost took a few weeks but now they all do that without us having to intervene.

 

[Marine]

Thanks for the great advice. I'm letting them fly the coop again today. Hopefully they go back in on their own tonight!

 

[beginnergirl]

I've just been letting my chickens out while I am with them. It is AMAZING that at about the same time each night, they gather near the coop. Always the same order going in with Clover the EE leading the way and my SLW running around the coop. She does not like walking up the ladder. I either pick her up, try to lure her into the run or put treats on the ladder. But when treats are outside the coop, the other girls pop outside to get them. LOL

Will try to rebuild a sturdier ladder as I think the SLW is the largest of my hens and the ladder has some bounce in it. Fingers crossed mine don't try roosting outside!