Keeping Hens Happy

[luvmyhens]

I am new at raising chickens, they are 6 months old. It took us a while to build a chicken run and coop for them. Unfortunately they were free ranging it till we completed it. I put them in a large dog carrier at night to sleep and keep them safe. Now that the run and coop are finished I want them in there so I won't have to constantly watch them like I have been for the last 5 months. They are very unhappy, squacking and pacing by the door. I need to get them used to it but how. We put the coop in the dog run which is between my home and my neighbors there is a fence between me and my neighbor but when the girls squack its right into the neighbors windows 8 feet away.

We live in the city, I am not zoned for chickens. My daughter is in 4h I called city hall and they told me it was OK for her to raise chickens for the project. But with all the commotion they are making I am afraid we might get complaints. Any ideas on how we can keep them in the coop and quiet. the pen is about 8X4 run and we have a ladder that leads to a covered coop 4 feet off the ground with nesting 3 nesting boxes inside. We have 3 hens 2 Rhode Island Whites and 1 Barred Rock. We are enjoying them soooo much and now we have eggs. We really want to keep them. They are tamed and want us to carry them all the time. HELP I sit on pins and needles when we put them in, this shouldn't be we want to enjoy them not live in fear. They are up at 6:00 and want out so I let them out for a while because I don't want them to wake the neighbors but at 8 I have to pen them up. :

THank you for any suggestions, We appreciate your experince and knowledge.

 

[Glenbogel06]

give them fun things to do in the run . . . hanging a head of lettuce, throw in treats for them to scratch at and find, give them some perches in the run. That said, my chickens have a HUGE run to play in all day and they still squawk. They are just noisy birds. But some distractions might make it easier for your birds to be "cooped up" in the run and not free ranging.

 

[luvmyhens]

how would I hang lettuce, so that I wouldn't end up hanging them.
I can just see one them crazy hens, getting themselves tied up in the string after the lettuce is gone.
Your suggestions are good I am going to put those in action.
How do you hide treats? and what are treats to them?
Forgive me I am new to chicken raising but want to learn.

 

[ZombieChickens]

I've heard of people who use plastic bins and grow grass in them. Then they alternate putting them in the run. By the time they destroy one, grass has had a chance to grow in the others. I have not done this myself....maybe soon! Also, just let them free range about an hour before dark. Then you won't have "cooped up chicken guilt".

 

[luvmyhens]

I am a stay at home mom so I do allow them out time when I am home. But when I go out I want them in the coop. Maybe thats the problem they aren't confined enough and are spoiled. Thank you for your grass suggestion I am on my way to Home Depot right now.