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

[The French Hen]

OK...they seemed to wonder in the coop and run so I closed the door...I guess I am just a nervous Nelly

I will start letting them out for short periods of time closer to the end of the day.

I took a few pictues of them out but is there anyway I can post a picture or two here ?

 

[glowgirl]

My chickens roam all over. They go visit the neighbors and my neighbors love it. We have lots of trees and bushes so they always have a place to hide. I have never had a problem. They don't get lost, always come home and are very happy with their daily adventures. My only real problem is hiking around making sure they haven't laid an egg anywhere. I did put a motion activated halloween device on the corner to keep them from going off that way but they seem to like triggering it, running away, then coming back and doing it again. I think it is more of a toy for them then anything else.

 

[The French Hen]

I was thinking that....I am having trouble with not getting eggs right now so if I let them roam around how will I know they didn't lay an egg somewhere ?

 

[OwlLover]

Quote:
Oh no, I just post in the GJF and random section more often

But about to stop, considering some of the "activity" that goes on in there...

 

[The French Hen]

Well, all you people were right....just at dusk all my girls went back to the coop....I did a head count and closed the door...what good little girls they are !!

Of course they are so funny....I was so nervous all day I kept going out checking on them...counting them...some would be in the bushes or behind the coop but they were all close by.

Each time I would come out from the house and walk over towards the coop they would all come scurrying up to greet me...I think they were just checking to see if I had treats.

Some times I had some cat food for them..

My girls are not laying right now and on the boards and from the Dept of Agriculture I learned I needed to cut out certain kinds of treats and up their protein and turn a light on early in the coop to lengthen their days.

hence the reason I am up at 5 am today....gonna get me an automatic timer to turn the light on in there.......5 am is just a bit early for me....usually I am up at 6:30 so that is early enough but 5 am...Holy Moly !!!


Now I can't go back to sleep so I put some laundry in and bathed one of my puppies and now I'm on the internet.....gotta get that timer !!!

 

[Animalian]

If you haven't already you should start giving a treat call. Some people use words, others a can of rocks, a whistle, anyhting. Just make the same noise over and over while they eat their treats so they associate that word with yummy food.

Eventually they will all coming running as fast as their little legs will carry them when they hear it! Then you can just make the noise before you serve treats.

My girls are reliable most of the time, but occasionally someone will try out a tree to sleep in one night, I go out just before is dark (normally everyone will be settling in the coop) and if someone is missing a quick "chick chick chickEENNNN!" call brings her running! or I at least some crunching of twigs as she hastily tries to get out of said tree!

 

[Ole rooster]

Something you should be very weiry of and that is the spaniels. Never let any of them around your hens. It it happens you will have hens no more. Don't know a thing about the other dog you have. Pele is right. The first time I let mine out I thought I was going to have a baby. Now all is normal and I found they know more about what they need to do than I do.

But then they should. Even now they hang pretty close. Sometimes I can't find um anywhere. But I rattle the meal worm container and they come from nowhere on a dead run. They do hide a lot.

 

[The French Hen]

Thanks for the good advice

My spaniels are all in kennels on the other side of the property so they are not close. I had my hen house built where it is because I was afraid the barking of the dogs would have an effect on the chickens so I thought about all that prior to getting chickens....no sense in distressing the poor girls.

Do you guys let your chickens out everyday...

My friend in NC says she does not let them out every day....and when she does she only lets them out a few hours at a time.

I was under the impression from reading posts and stuff that you could let them out every day...albiet I will start off slowly. So are most of you of the opinion to only let them out on occasion or everyday...would love to hear...

Yesterday they were out for an hour or so and went back in so I closed the door and didn't let them out again until 4:30 or so because I liked the idea of starting out slow and close to dusk.

Today I will let them out at 4...this way it's closer to dusk and they will go back in and roost and hopefully not have wondered off too far.

Well I have upped their protein intake, have a light going on at 5 am and started letting them free range...let's see how soon I start getting eggs again...

If anyone else has suggestions to help them get thru this and back on the production track..let me know

Once again thanks to all for this wonderful and valuable information !!!

 

[BooBear]

Mine get to free range when someone is home to watch them / check on them as our property is not fenced yet. They really enjoy free ranging as they get to forage for natural foods and do natural chicken stuff. They are very alert to hawks n predators. My biggest concern is neighbor's dogs running across our unfenced property and getting them as there are still folks in my area that let their mongrel dogs run amok. We already had to chase some off that tried to make a go at the chooks.

The length of time they free range varies as it depends on whether Dad or I are home as Mom is not interested in keeping an eye out for them even though she now gets made if the girls stop laying to be broody or molt. This past summer was so hot that we only got 1 egg a day from all those girls. Saphire has been a real trooper I tell ya. She is one of my favorites not for the eggs she laid all summer but because she is also friendly, hopps up on my shoulder for free rides and to tell me all the gossip in the flock.

Once we get the back area fenced then I would just let them out during the day without too much worry.

 

[Ole rooster]

Yes I do let mine out everyday. I would say they go out at good light. I let um out to a couple couple of handfuls of scratch. They take care of that and go straight for the feeder. They stay out till about 7:00 at night. Or whenever time they decide to go in. During the day when a hen gets ready to lay she'll waddle to the coop and do her thing. They just always seem to stay close to the house. I guess they have a lot to do in the leaves looking for treats.

Also one thing I do every night before I lock up is look in the nest and in the coop for any unwelcome intruders. I have a real fear of locking them in with a mean little critter.