Ok...i'm Nervous Now !!!

[The French Hen]

My girls are 7 months old now and have never been out of their coop and run before....today I have let them out into the cold cruel world....I just hope nothing happens to them

I am watching them closely...except for now I came in to post this ...

Does anyone think they will run off....and not know how to get back to the coop ??

ADVICE PLEASE

How long should I let them be out for day 1 ???

 

[BooBear]

They won't wander to far from home n should automatically come home to roost.
Is you place fenced? That would help keep them where you want them

 

[chicmom]

They will stay close to home. What I like to do when I first let my young chickens free range, is I will let them out about an hour before it starts to get dark. This gives them a little bit of play time, but not too much at first. Then you will be so surprised when they head right back to the coop as soon as it begins to get dark.

If they don't go back voluntarily, there's always a bribe, like throwing some cracked corn into their run. (I have to do that for my turkeys sometimes, when they don't want to go in, but the chickens always seem to go back on their own free will.)

Sharon

 

[Achickenwrangler#1]

They should hang around, go throw them some treats and watch what happens! They will head back to the coop when ready. I would throw some scratch in the run so they get used to going there to eat...the biggest worry is if you have dogs out and around your neighborhood and can they get to your chickens? Just enjoy them and observe, chickens are fairly low maintainence!

 

[RattlesnakeRidgeWV]

Quote:
I agree with chickmom, and that is the way I did it and there was no problem. They all went to bed just before dark and I made a count to make sure.

 

[The French Hen]

OK...great ideas..just wish I knew about the one about putting them out an hour or so before dark...that's what I should have done on day 1 and then increase their time a little bit each day..

That would have been the smart thing to do...but then I am always known for learning things the hard way.....duh LOL

My 3 1/2 acres is not fenced in....they started heading to the road so I diverted them now they are back up by the trees....

I do have dogs but my dogs are fenced in inside their kennels...I breed and show Cocker Spaniels and I also breed Cockapoos....anyone want a cockapoo....LOL

The dogs can not get to them but they do bark...especially if they see the chickens they will start barking up a storm.....will the chickens just naturally stay away from them >

Good Golly this is gonna be something !!!

OK...gonna go back out and take pictures now...

 

[OwlLover]

I don't usually post in this section, but they might, and they might not.

The barking might scare "cowardly" ones away, but bolder ones will probably stay and just ignore them.

 

[The French Hen]

Hey Polish

You say you don't usually post in this section, why is that ? Is there another place I would have been better off posting to to get advice from ?

 

[Pele]

Your jitters are completely normal, and you'll feel better about them free-ranging with time.

For the first few days and maybe up to the first month, they won't go more than a few dozen feet away from their coop. It represents safety to them, and they'll be nervous like a kid on the first day of kindergarten.

But not worries, soon they'll be wandering about, though usually no more than within half a mile of the coop (if you have no fence).

They probably won't go near your dogs if they are barking up a storm. Chickens don't like loud noises overly much.

 

[goldies99]

they will come back to roost at night.....they might run wild today because its the first day out!...
but my guess is they will come back to their coop!!!