New family with a free grazing question.

[chook pen jen]

if you can keep them in their coop in the mornings they will most probably lay before you let them out ,my chooks eventually learnt to come back to the nest box to lay .

 

[mullers3acers]

Quote:
I was the same way when the dh and dd's wanted to get our first chickens. But when we started getting our first eggs and eating them there was no turning back; that was about eight years ago and I can't see this farm without chickens, pigs or steers.

 

[The Chicken Lady]

, Josh and Trish!

Glad to have you here!

 

[ams3651]

I had a problem with them wondering into my neighbors yard across the road last year. After spending the winter in the coop and run they are staying close. They finially discovered the back field and my roo is now mature and more aware of his job to keep all the girls together and Ive seen him round them up when they get too close to the road. Im so glad I have him. As far as predators, I have many trees so theres always some where they can get cover from hawks if they have to but Ive read from others who place things like dog kennels in the yard so they have a place to go if they need to. I also dont let them out till about 3pm and by 6 they are heading in for the night.

 

[momofdrew]

Likely preditors... depending on where you live... Cats, Dogs, Owls, Hawks, raccoons, skunks, snakes, rats, fishercats, weasels...Not so likely bear, bobcat, cougar, cayote [sp],wolf


My yard is fenced so my girls can go just about everywhere they want to go... We have had a hawk scan the yard but my dog chased it off...they have always laid their eggs in the coop and gone back to the coop just before sundown...

 

[SoJoChickens]

Welcome to the forum. Thanks for asking this question. I got a lot of good information reading the responses!