letting my 2 new chickens out

[carolsmith]

We have just got our first two chickens. We have a chicken ark with a 6ftx 4ft run underneath. We were hoping to let our birds roam the garden when we were out there(about 3/4 times a week) But the supplier says they will be unhappy unless they can go out every day so it is best to keep them in their house and run all the time. Has anyone any experience of letting birds roanm occasionally. The garden is not safe to leave them out when we are not there and we grow veg
thank you
carolsmith

 

[Me + Peeps]

I have no idea at the mbeing upset but i do know that chickens don't usually shred a mature garden, but they might eat a leaf or two or take small bites out of the crop but never had a problem with them in the garden.

 

[Schultz]

There are days when our chickens do not get to come out of the run and they will complain in their own silly chicken way. This doesn't mean they aren't happy chickens. You will figure out what's best and works for your flock, I say let them roam when you can!!

 

[nursechick]

Maybe someone can help out a newbie...I have ten pullets. Two autralorps, two Production Reds, two Dominiques, two americaunas, two silver lace wyandottes. I got them as day old babies I believe last week in February. I have all of them on start grow lay. They have 6 X 10 X 4 coop, I close them up at night. It is inside a 6X10 run . I have done everything I know to make them lay. About five of them have red wattles and combs. The others still have sort of flesh colored more undeveloped combs and wattles yet. They have very ample water supply, shade and even a mister (because we have had very hot weather here recently) I bring them greens and treats daily and they all seem happy enough, but am wondering if my run is too small, or the weather could be to blame?? I have not one egg. They even have a golf ball in one of their fluffy nests...but nothing seems to work? They do not get to go out, we have too many hawks in our area. (Live in Texas). Any ideas out there?

 

[allison finch]

They are 4 months old? Don't they have to be older?

 

[chickenscott]

I let my last girls out all the time. I had a well fenced in yard. I had to watch my cats for a few weeks but harmony was found. The girls did yell if they did not get out everyday. I must say though, they wee destructive at times. After a few months they would dig up and around a lot of plants. But my garden we free of slugs and bugs. So if you do let them out you will have to teach them when they should go back into the coop/pen.

 

[Ft Chix]

We let ours out to roam several times a week. They love getting out. We let them roam for about 20-30 minutes and then they go back to their pen. We've never had a problem.

 

[lovinlife]

When I first started letting mine out, I'd go out in the evening and try to herd the chickens back into the coop. It was not fun. Then, a friend on another board said hers just go in a dusk on their own. So, the next night I waited until just before dark to go out to the run and sure enough, they were all up on the roost settling down for the night. Now, I don't worry about it at all. Sometimes it's 10:00 before I get out there to close the run gate, but there's never been a problem yet.

I live in Texas, too, and there are hawks, owls, coyotes, foxes, stray animals, etc. So far, I haven't lost any chickens to predators. I let them out of the run around 3:00 in the afternoon (during the school year, they are let out when I get home from teaching) to make sure they're done laying for the day. They go back in at dusk on their own.

 

[carolsmith]

Thank you to everyone that replied to my question about letting my new chickens out. Your replies were really helpful. How long should I wait before I let them out for the first time? We have had them two days now and they go up the little ramp to roost in the top half of the house. Carol Smith