let my chickens in yard

[clucker49]

Ive got neighbors around me.but I was thinking of letting my chickens out to enjoy my yard.I have close to an acre.I figure I would let them out about hour before sunset so they would get back in the run and coop at roost time.do u all think that will work.my wife is in wheel chair so I figured she would love that.does this sound logical?

 

[HighStreetCoop]

Absolutely. That's what I do. If you're worried about them wandering too far afield, you could always use a movable netting fence (I have an Omlet one that works great to keep mine in the upper terrace of my yard.

 

[clucker49]

Absolutely. That's what I do. If you're worried about them wandering too far afield, you could always use a movable netting fence (I have an Omlet one that works great to keep mine in the upper terrace of my yard.

so your chickens go back in at roost time without you having to catch them?

 

[HighStreetCoop]

Quote:
Yes, and yours will too. They naturally head for the coop just before dusk. So just like they empty the run and go up now, they'll do the same when free ranging so long as the door to the run and coop and both open for them. Otherwise, you'll find them milling around the door to the run in a huff, LOL!

 

[mamahenAtlanta]

We've always done that too--- just let them run around the yard outside their run for a period just before dusk, depending on how much time we have to be out with them (we don't leave them out alone free range for long periods) maybe an hour before dusk. they ALWAYS go to roost by themselves, ever since they were babies. If we let them out early, and for whatever reason want them to go back to the run, it's EASY! Just shake a bag of scratch and they come running fast! So hilarious to see them run. I've been trying to train them with a bell mounted on their coop--shaking the bag while ringing the bell--hoping they'll make the association and I want always have to have treats to get them to come in when I want them too. I'm not consistent enough with that, so calling them by the bell is not working very well yet. But sometimes they'll come running to me because they think they MIGHT get a treat. Then again, sometimes fresh grubs are more enticing than my treats and they very get serious about their scratching when they are free in the yard!

 

[3arrowfarm]

so your chickens go back in at roost time without you having to catch them?

My chickens always stay around the coop in the yard, the coop door is open up to 10 hours a day

 

[clucker49]

I tried it today and it worked pretty good but 5 of them was wanting to get back in the coop as it started getn dark and they couldn't find the door to the run.they was really enjoying the yard.

 

[djh1982]

This is very interesting. I never thought of being able to do this. I figured if they got out I'd be all over the neighborhood chasing chickens and getting screamed at by neighbors. I may have to give this a try myself.

 

[Dansoy]

I tested this yesterday.

I let them free range the whole afternoon in my yard with high walls around.

When it was getting dark 4 out of 5 chickens jumped back into their coop and sleep.

1 hen flew away directly all panicked where to sleep, i found her the next morning 3 houses further then caught her with 3 other people helping.. she could not fly back over the wall to go home it seems, or did not even want to. anyways its ok to do but you never know hehe.

 

[djh1982]

I tested this yesterday.

I let them free range the whole afternoon in my yard with high walls around.

When it was getting dark 4 out of 5 chickens jumped back into their coop and sleep.

1 hen flew away directly all panicked where to sleep, i found her the next morning 3 houses further then caught her with 3 other people helping.. she could not fly back over the wall to go home it seems, or did not even want to. anyways its ok to do but you never know hehe.

Yeah... Not sure if that's a risk I want to take... I have a little over an acre and a half. About half of that is wooded area. My neighbors are about 40 yards to the left and right of me. Most of my land is the front and back yard. Also, one of my neighbors has a coop. Not sure if this would lure my chickens in to his yard.