Questions on Free Range!

[eggonyourface]

Hi! I'd like to give my hens a little more room to and let them free range in the day- I have a acre of enclosed fenced off pasture for them... But am worried because we have dogs- my neighbors have dogs that they let roam and are alway at my house.. Will the dogs get in to purposely get them? Also- if they are free range, do they go back to their coop to lay their eggs? And will the instinctively go back at night?!

Thanks for any insight!

 

[cutechick53]

Hens will look for a nest to lay their eggs (generally) outside of the coop. If you don't want to go on an egg hunt, let them out of the coop later in the morning.

Most of the time you have to train them to go into the coop at night. As for the dogs, most will kill. Especially bantams that have more of a gamey smell. Hope this helps!

 

[islandgirl82]

If your hens are used to using the nests in the coop, they'll likely return to the nesting boxes and they will usually return to the coop at night without prompting if they're given enough time. I free range all day every day and all six of my girls will return to the coop.

The much bigger issue you'll be facing are the dogs. Even if your own dogs are fine with them when you're around, or even on their own...there's no guarantee that they will leave the flock alone with your neighbors' dogs around as they go wild in a pack.

I would start by asking your neighbors to keep their dogs at their own house but that can potentially lead to neighborly disputes. Either way, if I were you, I wouldn't free range when they're unsupervised.

 

[lgutt]

I let mine free range as soon as I get up in the morning. They go out for a little while and when it's time to lay they always go back in the coop to do it. They also put themselves to bed right before it gets dark. They instinctively know it's time to go in, no training needed. Once they are all in I lock the coop up.